Nepal and the UAE taking different cricketing trajectories

Nepal and the UAE taking different cricketing trajectories
Above, fans of the Nepalese cricket team during the third T20 international match between Kenya and Nepal at the Nairobi Gymkhana Cricket Grounds in Nairobi on Aug. 28, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 23 March 2023

Nepal and the UAE taking different cricketing trajectories

Nepal and the UAE taking different cricketing trajectories
  • A win in Kathmandu over the GCC country sees Nepal advance in World Cup qualifiers

Evidence of cricket’s deepening and widening appeal is apparent in its growth in an increasing number of countries. The game’s ability to generate occasions of high drama and tension is being witnessed in diverse locations.

Last week, this was nowhere more apparent than in Nepal, a country not normally considered a cricket playing nation in many people’s minds.

Until the 1980s, the game was a niche activity, limited to Kathmandu. A major development program, introduced in the early 1990s, boosted playing participation and facilities. This led to the first appearance of a Nepal men’s team in an international tournament, the Asia Cricket Cup, in 1996. In the same year, Nepal became an Associate member of the International Cricket Council. Steady growth in performance was rewarded with ICC T20I status in 2014 and ODI status in 2018.

This was achieved in dramatic fashion, something that has become a hallmark of Nepal’s cricketing personality.

Nepal needed to win its final match in a World Cup qualifying tournament and then hope that the Netherlands beat Hong Kong, which they did. All of this was against a backdrop of Nepal’s cricket board having been suspended by the ICC in 2016 for a breach of ICC regulation Article 2.9, which prohibits government interference and requires free and fair elections. Conditional readmittance was granted by the ICC in October 2019.

After ODI status had been secured, Nepal’s captain at the time, Paras Khadka, referred to “years and years of toil, persistence, sacrifices, commitment and hard work.” He also referred to the need to stabilize domestic structures, if ambitions to reach an ODI World Cup and even Test playing status, were to be realized. In 10 years since 2008, Nepal has risen from being in Division 5 to being within touching distance of the big players.

One factor that is not missing domestically is the level of fan support. Nepal is recognized as being the most fervently supported ICC Associate member. This fervor has spilled over on occasions. In February 2010, when Nepal looked to be losing a Division 5 match against the US, the crowd threw objects onto the field, causing an hour’s delay. This led to a revised target, which helped Nepal, who edged into Division 4 on net run rate at the expense of Singapore, who appealed. A conditional ban was imposed, with the height of stadium walls ordered to be increased. In December 2011, a similar crowd disturbance occurred in a match with the UAE, leading to a ban on hosting ICC events in 2012.

There was no ban in 2013, when Nepal hosted the Asia Cricket Cup, reaching the final, only to be beaten by Afghanistan. Crowds of between 15,000 and 20,000 were reported to have attended group stage matches, rising to 25,000 for the semifinal and final, which was free of crowd disruption.

Hundreds of thousands watched the match live on television. The explanation for such support may lie in the composition of the team, which comprises indigenous players, who have progressed through the age group ranks. It may also lie in the absence of ticketing arrangements in the past.

Although this was not the case for Nepal’s match against the UAE on March 16, 2023, it may as well have been, according to reports. The occasion was infused with expectation. It was the final match of 134 played in League 2 of the ICC 2023 ODI World Cup qualifying phase.

The outcome would finalize the third team which would progress to the next stage, one step away from playing in the World Cup in India in October and November. Scotland and Oman had finished first and second, with Namibia holding third place, one point ahead of Nepal.

In early February 2023, Nepal seemed to have little chance of making the third place, languishing in the second to bottom spot. The UAE were much better placed, but imploded in their last 10 matches, winning only three.

Surprisingly, their defeats included three by bottom team Papua New Guinea. Nepal, on the other hand, won 10 of its last 11 matches prior to the final match against the UAE, which was out of the running for third place.

Long queues formed several hours before the start of play. Later, people climbed the surrounding walls and trees, before the main gate and its defenders were breached. The Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, is one of only two grounds to host international matches in Nepal. Its capacity is 18,000 but eyewitnesses suggest that more than 25,000 gained access to the ground. They were disappointed by the UAE’s progress, which saw a huge score of 310 being posted, including the fastest century by an ODI Associate cricketer.

In response to this mammoth target, Nepal lost three wickets cheaply, before rebuilding. A rain shower tightened the nerves of spectators, as Nepal was behind in the par score at that point. They became even more tense as they witnessed the UAE’s tactics to slow the game down.

Fears of disturbance rose. Some Nepalese players pleaded with supporters to stay calm. Then, at 5:37 p.m. local time, with 44 overs bowled, the umpires decided that it was too dark for play to continue. Nepal had scored 269 for six. According to the DLS system used to calculate interruptions to play, Nepal’s target at that point was 260. Another victory had been achieved in dramatic circumstances, against old foes, who were mightily displeased.

The UAE will now join a playoff competition in Namibia between March 26 and April 5. This comprises the bottom four teams in League 2, plus Canada and Jersey, who won feeder Challenger leagues.

ODI status is at stake for the UAE, since the two highest placed teams out of the UAE, Namibia, Canada and Jersey will secure ODI status for the 2023-2027 World Cup cycle. The UAE’s leading players participated in the DP World ILT20 League in January and February.

Since then, the team’s performance has stalled badly, whereas Nepal’s star has risen.


Why it’s not always the best wicketkeepers who get the nod

Why it’s not always the best wicketkeepers who get the nod
Updated 25 May 2023

Why it’s not always the best wicketkeepers who get the nod

Why it’s not always the best wicketkeepers who get the nod
  • Like goalkeepers, the only cricket fielders with gloves are a breed apart, often displaying idiosyncratic tendencies, but their batting numbers often make a difference

The most frequent method of dismissal in cricket is being caught out by fielders other than the wicketkeeper. Detailed analysis reveals that, between 1877 and 2012, the method accounted for around 40 percent in Test cricket.

This is confirmed by analysis of post-2012 data. When the 20 percent caught by wicketkeepers is added, the total percentage of dismissals achieved by catches rises to 60 percent.

Wicketkeepers also effect stumpings, some 2 percent of dismissals. Given the level of importance attached to this single position, it would be reasonable to assume that the selectors of a team would always choose their best wicketkeeper.

An early precedent was set for this concept. In the first ever Test, between Australia and England at Melbourne in 1877, Jack Blackham was selected for Australia ahead of Billy Murdoch because Blackham was considered to be a superior keeper. Murdoch’s first-class career had started in 1875, when he was regarded as the finest wicketkeeper in Australia. Consequent on the selector’s decision, Australia’s fast bowler, Frederick Spofforth, refused to play in the match. Both he and Murdoch were reinstated for the second Test, but Blackham kept.

Controversy over this type of decision has never gone away, but usually it is about not selecting the best keeper.

Last week, England’s Test team selectors were faced with a conundrum. The incumbent wicketkeeper is Ben Foakes, widely regarded by most observers as the finest in the country and, perhaps, more widely. He has been in and out of the England team between November 2018 and May 2023, playing in 20 out of 55 Tests. His Test batting average is a respectable 32.2, which includes match winning innings.

England’s new adventurous approach to Test cricket in summer 2022 was encapsulated by the batting of Jonny Bairstow, himself a more than competent wicketkeeper. A freak break of Bairstow’s leg in September 2022 kept him out of cricket, including the T20 World Cup and the IPL, until last month. During the winter, a new English batting star emerged in Harry Brook. The selectors had several choices. They could either drop Brook for Bairstow or drop an opener for Bairstow and move someone else up the order, or drop Foakes for Bairstow, who would then keep wicket. The latter was the decision taken for the first Test match of the summer against Ireland, starting on June 1.

It is one that has reopened old arguments and, for Foakes, perhaps old wounds, as this has happened to him twice before. He has played a big part in England’s recent run of 10 wins in their last 12 Tests and was almost the match winner in England’s one-run defeat in February at Wellington, New Zealand. Bairstow’s Test batting average is slightly higher than Foakes’ at 37, his best performances coming when batting between number five and seven in the order. It is the attacking manner of his batting which may well have swayed the decision, given that the main opponent this summer is Australia.

England have been in this position before on more than one occasion. Alan Knott was selected 95 times for England in Tests between 1967 and 1981, averaging 32.75. His Test career ended when he chose to join a rebel tour to South Africa in 1981-82. This allowed Bob Taylor, a long-term reserve, to take over. Some observers judged Taylor to be a superior keeper, but his batting was inferior to Knott’s, as a Test batting average of 16.28, mainly compiled after Knott’s retirement, would attest.

Wicketkeepers, like goalkeepers, are a breed apart, often displaying idiosyncratic tendencies. Knott, for example, always kept his shirt collar turned up as protection from the sun and his shirt sleeves buttoned down to provide extra protection when diving. One of the most eccentric wicketkeepers was England’s Jack Russell. Apart from an admission to drinking 20 cups of tea a day, having a diet of chocolate biscuits, chicken and bananas, plus an unusual stance for both batting and keeping, Russell was a landscape painter. He played 54 Tests for England between 1988 and 1998, sometimes receiving shabby treatment from team selectors.

High quality wicketkeepers are a joy to watch. When Rodney Marsh was first selected for Australia in 1970, he was dubbed “Iron Gloves” by those who preferred the man he displaced. Marsh went on to dispel this derogatory epithet, claiming a then world record 355 Test dismissals, 95 caught off the bowling of Dennis Lillie. At first sight, Marsh did not appear to be athletic, but was quick footed and agile.

An old adage has it that the true test of a wicketkeeper is the quality of his/her ability to stand up to the stumps to take the ball as opposed to standing back from the stumps. It would be unusual, but not unheard of, for keepers to stand up to fast bowlers. Edges fly so quickly off the bat that the best chance of catching them is by standing some distance back. Conversely, keepers do not stand back to slow or spin bowlers. Potential catches would drop short and opportunities to dismiss batters lured out of the crease would be passed up.

In wicketkeeping, everything leads from the head, whether diving or jumping up or down. Since a keeper is doing the same thing repeatedly, consistency of movement is vital, so that distance between feet does not vary. Needless to say, watching the ball all the time is imperative, as are quick reflexes.

Coaches will normally advise that the ball must be waited for, with the hands giving as the ball enters the gloves. However, the legendary M.S. Dhoni of India keeps his hands close to the stumps when standing up to save a split second on a stumping opportunity.

No discussion of wicketkeepers can pass without acknowledging Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka. Although his wicketkeeping may not have satisfied purists, his extraordinary batting average of 57.4 in 134 Tests, exemplifies the tendency towards selecting a wicketkeeper, who may not be the best available, but offers superior batting potential.


Brilliant Madhwal takes 5-5 as Mumbai knock Lucknow out of IPL

Brilliant Madhwal takes 5-5 as Mumbai knock Lucknow out of IPL
Updated 25 May 2023

Brilliant Madhwal takes 5-5 as Mumbai knock Lucknow out of IPL

Brilliant Madhwal takes 5-5 as Mumbai knock Lucknow out of IPL
  • Mumbai booked a meeting with holders and regular season table-toppers Gujarat Titans in the next playoff encounter on Friday in Ahmedabad
  • The winners on Friday will meet Chennai Super Kings in the final on Sunday

CHENNAI, India: Akash Madhwal took five wickets for as many runs to lead Mumbai Indians to a crushing 81-run win in the second IPL playoff game and knock Lucknow Super Giants out of the tournament on Wednesday.

Australia’s Cameron Green (41) and Suryakumar Yadav (33) put on 66 to help guide five-time champions Mumbai to 182-8 after they elected to bat first in the knockout contest in Chennai.

Madhwal then returned figures of 5-5 in 3.3 overs to dismiss Lucknow for 101 as Mumbai booked a meeting with holders and regular season table-toppers Gujarat Titans in the next playoff encounter on Friday in Ahmedabad.

The winners of that clash will meet Chennai Super Kings in the final on Sunday.

“It’s nice that it’s going well at the moment,” Green said.

“Our batting’s been really good. Madhwal has been the game changer for us; five today, and got four-for the other day.”

Green, who was the second-most expensive player bought in the auction at $2.11 million, added: “Gujarat are the best team. It’s going to be a tough challenge, especially on their home turf.”

Lucknow’s innings imploded as they collapsed from 69-2 to be bowled out in 16.3 overs, losing three key wickets to run outs.

Green, who hit his maiden T20 century in Mumbai’s previous win, looked in control during a 23-ball knock laced with six fours and one six until his departure.

Naveen-ul-Haq, who took four wickets for Lucknow, sent back Suryakumar and Green, bowled by a slower off-cutter from the Afghanistan pace bowler, in the space of three deliveries to push Mumbai onto the back foot.

Tilak Varma hit back with a quickfire 26 and a 43-run stand with Tim David, who was out caught for 13 after unsuccessfully reviewing a full toss for being over waist-height.

Naveen finished with 4-38 and Yash Thakur took three wickets but despite their efforts Mumbai’s impact sub Nehal Wadhera boosted the total with his 12-ball 23.

Lucknow lost their openers early including impact player Kyle Mayers for 18 before Australia’s Marcus Stoinis attempted to pull the chase together in his 27-ball 40.

But Madhwal struck with successive balls, including getting the dangerous Nicholas Pooran caught behind for a golden duck.

An engineer by profession, Madhwal learned the game while playing tennis-ball cricket in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand but is filling in for Mumbai’s injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

“Bumrah bhai (brother) has his own place, and I’m just trying to play the role assigned to me,” said the 29-year-old Madhwal.

Stoinis, who crossed 400 runs this season to be his team’s standout performer, was run out after a mid-pitch collision with non-striker Deepak Hooda with both batsmen watching the ball.

The innings fell further apart with two more run outs sending back Krishnappa Gowtham and Hooda.

Lucknow, who made their IPL debut last season with Gujarat Titans as the league grew to 10 teams, fell at the same hurdle in the previous edition.

The neutral venue for both teams had many empty seats, in contrast to the nearly full stadium on Tuesday when home hero M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai made the final with a win over Gujarat.


Chennai beats Gujarat to reach Indian Premier League final

Chennai beats Gujarat to reach Indian Premier League final
Updated 24 May 2023

Chennai beats Gujarat to reach Indian Premier League final

Chennai beats Gujarat to reach Indian Premier League final
  • Opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scored in the match with 60 off 44 balls
  • It was a remarkable turnaround for four-time champions Chennai this season after finishing ninth last year

CHENNAI, India: Chennai Super Kings powered their way to a record-breaking 10th Indian Premier League final with a 15-run win over defending champion Gujarat Titans in the playoffs on Tuesday.

Gujarat will have another chance to meet Chennai in the final when they take on the winner of Wednesday’s playoff between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants.

Opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scored in the match with 60 off 44 balls before cameos from the Chennai middle-order batters guided the home team to 172-7.

Chennai didn’t deviate from their perfect bowling script of squeezing the teams through spinners in the middle overs as Gujarat got bowled out for 157 off the final ball.

It was a remarkable turnaround for four-time champions Chennai this season after finishing ninth last year.

“I think IPL is too big to say it is just another final,” Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. “Ten teams makes it all the more tougher. Everyone has contributed. Yes, middle order hasn’t got ample opportunity but they have chipped in.”

Gujarat, one of the best chasers in the IPL, couldn’t get momentum in the run-chase when fast bowler Deepak Chahar (2-29) continued to excel in the powerplay and had Wriddhiman Saha caught in the deep in the third over.

Even Shubman Gill, who came into the playoff with two successive centuries, struggled to get going against hard lengths of Chennai bowlers to score 42 off 38 balls before Chahar also had him caught in the deep off a brilliant short ball in his return spell.

Spinners Ravindra Jadeja (2-18) and Maheesh Theekshana (2-28) then squeezed the runs in the middle overs as they found plenty of help off the wicket before Rashid Khan hit a rapid 30 off 16 balls to narrow down the defeat.

Chennai’s find of the tournament fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana (2-37) was a bit wayward bowling seven wide balls before the Sri Lankan pacer wrapped up the innings by claiming the last wicket of Mohammed Shami off the final ball.

Earlier, after being put into bat, Gaikwad dominated an 87-run opening wicket stand with Devon Conway, who struggled to score 40 off 34 balls.

Darshan Nalkande became only the fifth player in the history of IPL to play his first game of the season in the playoff and also had Gaikwad caught at mid-wicket off a no-ball in his first over.

Gaikwad hit seven fours and a six before he holed out at long-on in the 11th over off Mohit Sharma (2-31) and Conway tried to accelerate in the death overs but also picked up Rashid Khan at deep mid-wicket off Shami (2-28).

However, Jadeja made 22 off 16 balls while Ambati Rayudu and Ajiknya Rahane both scored quick 17s to propel Chennai’s total. Shami conceded 15 runs off the final over after allowing only 13 off his first three overs.

“We were quite spot on but we made some basic errors,” said Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya, who made eight before getting caught at point inside the powerplay. “We must’ve conceded 16 runs or so due to our soft balls, (but) we have one more chance of going to the final. Two days later we will give it a crack again.”


NEOM and Rajasthan Royals cricket team announce new community sports program

NEOM and Rajasthan Royals cricket team announce new community sports program
Updated 22 May 2023

NEOM and Rajasthan Royals cricket team announce new community sports program

NEOM and Rajasthan Royals cricket team announce new community sports program
  • It is the Saudi smart city’s first program of its kind and aims to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among its residents
  • NEOM aspires to be an innovative destination for sport by partnering with global sports brands

NEOM: The Saudi smart city NEOM has partnered with one of India’s premier T20 cricket teams, the Rajasthan Royals, to deliver its first ever cricket program.

The landmark pilot scheme aims to facilitate an active and healthy lifestyle within the growing workforce, forecast to reach 60,000 people by the end of the year.

Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud, chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, said: “It’s important that we develop a thriving cricket ecosystem that can be enjoyed by everyone. We are excited to see NEOM’s cricket program partnered by Rajasthan Royals offer that, while also contributing to the growth of the sport in the Kingdom.”

Founded in 2008 and hailing from Jaipur, Rajasthan, the Rajasthan Royals is one of the world’s most renowned cricket teams and recognized internationally for its  academies and community foundation work. To mark the partnership, the lead owner, Manoj Badale, visited NEOM on Monday to meet CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr and other community members, and to take part in a selection of cricket sessions.

Badale said: “We are thrilled to partner with NEOM and launch this grassroots cricket program. This partnership allows us to contribute to NEOM's vision of fostering an inclusive, active and healthy community. We look forward to witnessing the growth of cricket within NEOM and creating a lasting impact for the workforce, residents and society.”

The cricket program will focus on inclusivity and reflects the Royals’ commitment to promoting the development and innovation of cricket internationally. With a workforce of thousands already based at NEOM, cricket has become one of the project’s most popular sports, attracting more participation and a growing number of spectators from among those working on site.

NEOM aspires to be an innovative destination for sport, partnering with global sports brands, championing livability for its residents and contributing to NEOM’s dynamic economy. The new partnership will be another element of NEOM’s commitment to supporting an active and healthy community.

Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, said: “NEOM is committed to nurturing the most physically active society globally and our partnership with the Royals is the latest step in making that vision a reality. Cricket is already a hugely popular sport in NEOM and we want to capture and nurture that enthusiasm and make sure it is being felt throughout the region. Working with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation and the Royals will enable us to provide cricket for men and women, girls and boys alike, in the community at NEOM.”

The cricket program will be delivered by specialist partners, RISE, and Red Bear Sports, who will oversee the delivery of an authentic T20 cricket league on site at NEOM. It will be community based and be supported by a participation program to be delivered by the end of the year. Sport is seen as essential to the enrichment of lives at NEOM, and the organization is aiming to support the development of sport leaders within the workforce.


Power and privilege ebb away from Britain as cricket experiences global shifts

Power and privilege ebb away from Britain as cricket experiences global shifts
Updated 18 May 2023

Power and privilege ebb away from Britain as cricket experiences global shifts

Power and privilege ebb away from Britain as cricket experiences global shifts

Last week, I watched a match at Arundel Castle’s cricket ground in West Sussex, England. The castle was founded in 1067 and a park was formed around it in the early 19th century. In 1897, the first recorded match took place on a newly completed cricket ground. This was instigated by the 15th duke of Norfolk, whose family seat is Arundel Castle.

His son, Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th duke of Norfolk (1917-1985), much enhanced the development of cricket at the castle. Most notably, he made the venue famous by establishing a tradition of touring sides playing one of their early matches there, often the opening one.

Records suggest that the first one was against the Australian touring side in 1956. Little did the 1956 tourists know that, later in their tour, they would be subject to one of most extraordinary feats of bowling in Test match history. In the fourth Test at Manchester, England bowler Jim Laker claimed 19 of the 20 Australian wickets to win the match.

As I observed the match at Arundel Castle, the contrast between what I was watching in that setting and others in which contemporary cricket is being played was stark. The ground has been described by spectators, visitors and players alike, as quintessentially English. It is a 3.5-acre amphitheater, surrounded by trees, with views over the River Arun valley and, through a purposely designed gap, stunning views of rolling hills. It has accommodated upwards of 9,000 spectators, all situated on either grassy banks or on flat ground around the boundary.

This year, 36 matches and events are listed on the fixture card of the Arundel Castle Cricket Club. These embrace cricket at different levels and across a range of abilities. The visiting Australian team will not play there. Indeed, the forthcoming Ashes tour will be the first time in history that an Australian team’s itinerary consists only of Tests. As befits ACCC’s links with Australia, other Australian teams will do so, including the Melbourne Cricket Club and Sydney Cricket Ground X1. Six matches will be played by the Duke of Norfolk’s X1, while two 50-over women’s domestic matches are scheduled. At the other end of the scale, the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation has introduced programs aimed specifically at youngsters with disabilities and special needs, particularly from inner-city backgrounds.

The financing of cricket at Arundel Castle was heavily dependent upon the duke’s patronage and on income from the annual visit of the touring team. After the duke’s death, his wife Lavinia, aided by people influential in both English and international cricket, was determined to carry on the tradition. Money was raised to form the Friends of ACCC, which would support the duchess’ initiative and continue to do so after her death in 1995. However, these endeavors received a body blow when the England and Wales Cricket Board informed ACCC that it would no longer be able to host matches against touring Test teams.

Times were changing. International calendars were becoming more crowded and commercial pressures more telling. Matches against touring teams, other than internationals, would be played against counties, which needed the income. So, too, did ACCC.

A series of significant donations from supporters and a beneficial agreement with ECB for ACCC to host a number of non-first-class matches helped to sustain the club during the years after the income stream from tourist matches ended. Further pressure on finances was caused by the pandemic, but once first-class cricket became possible in the late summer of 2020, the ACCC was asked to host two county matches. Although no spectator income was available, support for facilities hire was provided, which improved the financial situation.

Some readers may find it strange that a cricket club with direct links to one of Britain’s most influential families, playing on a historic and famous ground, should experience a fragile financial existence. In addition to his title, the duke of Norfolk also holds the hereditary position of earl marshal. This carries the duty of organizing state occasions, including the opening of parliament and the coronation of the monarch, a task which fell recently to the current duke.

None of this can halt the winds of change currently blowing through cricket that are negatively affecting the grassroots in a country that used to govern the game. Power and influence in cricket have ebbed away from Britain, specifically away from the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lords and those who ran the game from there as upholders of an imperial past, when cricket was introduced to colonies. Some of those countries have welcomed this loss of power and influence, which found a catalyst for acceleration in the India Premier League. This is where now money and influence lie, which has begat copycat tournaments, dominated by Indian-owned franchises.

Growth has occurred in women’s cricket in countries where it used to be a minor sport and in countries where it barely existed. More than one of those countries has the funds to invest in cricket if they so choose. This threat to the old, disappearing order in Britain has caused much hand-wringing among those of that order. It is, however, too late.

Country house cricket of the type witnessed at Arundel will soldier on, no doubt, but T20 cricket, especially in the shape of franchise tournaments, is the new face of the game. Its funding comes not from gate income or national cricket boards but from rich corporates and individuals located far away from Lords. There has been loose talk in sections of the British press of such funding finding its way into the English game.

A more possible scenario is a change in the way certain players are contracted. Currently, they are contracted to national or regional boards. Instead, they may be offered the option of being contracted to franchises. This is a far cry from the days when a lord or lady of the realm invited teams and players to perform at his or her country house. In the new scenario, players have financial rewards rather than prestige through association.