Cricket fans in the sub-continent are abuzz with anticipation of more superstar cricket right at their doorstep. It's the result of intense speculation about the proposed subcontinental City League. CricInfo has now learned that the "Asian Cricket League" will operate much like the European Football system.

The League will be set up on a national basis and consist of various city teams playing against each other. Each team will be set up as a commercial franchise owned by a single owner or group, and the member cities will be allotted teams on the basis of the owner's proposal and the infrastructure readily available.

The League will be rooted in the Private Sector as a stand-alone venture, and this exciting form of cricket is expected to be played in the off season between April and September. CricInfo's sources indicate that the matches will be Day/Night one-dayers, in stadiums hired from their owners, who will thus be provided with further revenue.

While no further details are available as yet, CricInfo has learned the basic rules of the Asian Cricket League will be as follows:

1. Each player will be a free agent, and able to contract with any team he desires.

2. Salary caps will apply to ensure that no team is able to dominate by hiring the top players only.

3. Every year there will be a draft system which will enable weaker teams to pick up talent which otherwise would not be available to them.

Attempts to contact officials of the respective Cricket Boards have not yet resulted in official statements but sources close to the Boards indicate that they "consider this a good idea that needs further study, and would promote increased interaction between players across the subcontinent, thereby reducing tensions".

Invitations have already been sent to the top players from each of the countries who are not otherwise occupied with English County cricket or have other engagements.

The initially shortlisted member cities include: Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Dhaka, Colombo, Kandy, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Kathmandu and others.

Invitations have been issued to the major cities across the sub-continent and a Memorandum of Understanding is to be signed shortly.

Observers have commented that this heralds a new dawn for the great game of cricket, and are already expressing the hope that the project is launched as soon as possible.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd