MUMBAI: The BCCI on Wednesday said it was at liberty to invite bids for the tenth team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to fill in the slot left vacant by the termination of Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

BCCI president N Srinivasan said, "I cannot comment on the matter as it is currently sub judice. I?m informed the court may issue an order either today or in the near future. But as far as the board is concerned, it is at liberty to advertise for another franchise. But that?s a decision to be taken. If we have to go with nine teams, so be it."

The comments came a day after the Bombay High Court virtually left the door open for Deccan Chargers to participate in IPL season 6 by giving it 10 days to furnish an un-conditional bank guarantee of Rs 1 billion within 10 days.

Deccan Chargers had approached HC to appeal against the BCCI?s decision to terminate the franchise for breach of contract. The court on Wednesday asked Deccan Chargers to provide an unconditional bank guarantee of Rs 1 billion to BCCI within 10 days and appointed retired Supreme Court judge C K Thakkar as the arbitrator to adjudicate on the dispute between BCCI and the IPL team owners.

The BCCI counsel Rafiq Dada had also requested the HC to clarify on the issue of status quo order it had passed so that the cricket board could go ahead and issue the tender for the tenth franchise.

MUMBAI: Top players from expelled Kochi Tuskers Kerala dominated the proceedings at the IPL players auction on Saturday in Bangalore.

Ravindra Jadeja, who has time and again proved his worth as allrounder, was the most sought after player with Chennai Super Kings eventually buying the youngster following a tie-breaker with Deccan Chargers. Jadeja had a base price of $100,000.

Both the franchises had bid $2 million before the tie-breaker was enforced to decide who will get the player. In the tie-breaker, both teams enter the bid amount in a secret ballot following which the team with highest bid gets the player. The final amount Jadeja got was not disclosed.

Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene was secured by Delhi Daredevils for $1.4 million on a base price of $300,000. Swashbuckling New Zealand batsmen Brendon McCullum was bought by his former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for $900,000.

Both Jayawardene and McCullum were part of KTK for season four of the tournament.

R Vinay Kumar, another KTK players, too went back to his previous franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore after the team team bid $1 million to secure his services.

RP Singh and S Sreesanth were bought by Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals for $600,000 and $400,000 respectively. While Singh $400,000 went for more than his base price, Sreesanth was sold for his base price.

Indian players who remained unsold were middle-order veteran VVS Laxman and Punjab medium pacer VRV Singh.

Three South African players found their way into the IPL teams. Herschelle Gibbs went to Mumbai Indians for $50,000, while spinner Robin Pietersen and pace bowler Marchant de Lange were taken by Mumbai Indians and KKR respectively.

Marchant who had made a sensational test debut for SA landed his first IPL contract.

Australia?s Bard Hodge was bought by Rajasthan Royals for $475,000, while Mitchell Johnson went for Mumbai Indians for his base price of $300,000. Australian spinner Brad Hogg went to Royals and his compatriot James Faulkner was snapped up by Kings XI Punjab.

Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel will don Deccan Chargers jersey, while spinner Ramesh Pawar will be back to his previous franchise Kings XI Punjab.

Spin sensation Muttiah Muralitharan will now play for Royal Challengers Bangalore after being bought by them for $220,000. His compatriot Thisara Perera struck big with Mumbai Indians finally managing to have him for $650,000.

West Indies players were also in demand at the auction as several of them managed an IPL contract. Spinner Sunil Narine was bought by KKR, keeper Dinesh Chandimal went to Royals, all-rounder Andre Russell was grabbed by the Delhi Daredevils and pacer Kevon Cooper was snapped up by Mumbai Indians.

In all, 25 players from across the world were bought by the franchises, with MI and RR bidding successfully for five players each. DD, KKR, KXIP and DC snapped up three players each while RCB took two.

Former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood became the only player from that country to play in IPL 2012 after Kings XI Punjab bought him for $200,000.

CSK used their entire purse of $2 million in their successful bid for Jadeja.

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called upon all international players attached to Kochi Tuskers to register a case against the defunct IPL team to recover their pending fees.

Since the players? contracts are between them and the franchisees, the BCCI has asked the cricketers to move against the team. As for Indian cricketers who played for Kochi, they have got 65 per cent of their salaries, it is learnt.

International cricketers who played for Kochi in the last season include Mahela Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, Brendon McCullum and Steven Smith. Earlier, these players were given verbal commitment from the IPL that the Board would protect the players? right, but things went topsy turvy.

It may be noted that the BCCI had terminated Kochi?s contract during its September AGM for breaching terms of agreement. The board also encashed the team?s bank guarantee of Rs 1.56 billion.

MUMBAI: The Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise has moved for arbitration regarding its dispute with the BCCI.

This has been necessitated as cricket?s richest body has encashed the bank guarantee of Rs 1.53 billion, after the franchise failed to obtain a stay.

Proceedings are likely to begin next week.

Kochi Tuskers Kerala chairman Mukesh Patel said there is a clause in their contract that allows for arbitration. "How can they encash the bank guarantee when there was time for it to expire (27 September)? We do not owe the BCCI any dues. That is a lie. We are going for arbitration to get the money back and also to challenge the termination of our contract."

Patel also said that the franchise had earlier asked for a change in venue to Ahmedabad from Kochi due to reasons of safety. He, however, denied reports of a rift between the owners with some wanting to exit.

Two days back, Justice Vajifadar had quashed the plea of the Kochi IPL franchise against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

As a follow-up action, Kochi Tuskers Kerala had appealed against the Bombay High Court?s decision. Yesterday a division bench did not hear an appeal to stay the order of the single judge. It was to have heard the matter today.

MUMBAI: In a blow to the owners of the Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, the Bombay High Court today quashed their plea against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

As a follow-up action, Kochi Tuskers Kerala has appealed against the Bombay High Court?s decision.

The franchise?s case was dismissed by a single bench of Justice SF Vajifdar today. A new hearing before a division bench of the court will take place tomorrow.

Cricket?s richest body had terminated Kochi Tuskers Kerala?s contract on Monday for breaching its terms and conditions, prompting the franchise to move the court.

The Kochi franchise defaulted on a Rs 1.56 billion annual payment it was to make as bank guarantee.

Kochi Tuskers Kerala chairman Mukesh Patel had earlier maintained that the franchise does not owe the BCCI any money.

It remains to be seen as to what happens to the players in that franchise like Mahela Jayawardene. However, BCCI president   said the players? interests would be safeguarded.

The BCCI has not clarified yet whether it will hold an auction for a 10th franchise or go with nine teams.

MUMBAI: India?s cricket board has scrapped the contract of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala for breaching its terms and conditions, setting in process the possibility of a lawsuit.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India?s new president Narainswamy Srinivasan said today the decision to "terminate the franchise" was over payment issues.

The Kochi franchise defaulted on a Rs 1.56 billion annual payment it was to make as bank guarantee.

Srinivasan, who took over the reins as BCCI president from Shashank Manohar, said the board will encash the annual bank guarantee in order to recover the dues that the franchise owes.

"Because of the irremediable breach committed by the Kochi franchise, the BCCI has decided to encash the bank guarantee in their possession and also terminate the franchise," he stated at a media briefing after the board?s annual general meeting here today.

Asked if the BCCI would reconsider its decision and give the franchise a chance to return, Srinivasan bluntly rejected such a suggestion. "No, we have terminated the franchise because the breach is not capable of being remedied."

The consortium behind the kochi franchise has threatened legal action against the BCCI. Earlier the franchise owners had wanted a reduction in their fee on account of the number of their matches being reduced.

Added to the IPL last season as one of the two teams along with Pune Warriors, the Kochi franchise has been at the centre of controversy from its inception with former IPL chairman Lalit Modi questioning the shareholding pattern.

The IPL, which consists of ten city-based teams, will have its governing council take a decision on whether to have another auction for a new franchise.

In March 2010, the Sahara group had bid $370 million to own the Pune franchise while Rendezvous Sports World offered $333.33 million for Kochi.

For the record, this is the third franchise whose contract the BCCI has gotten involved with. It tried to terminate the contracts of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab last year but the franchises got relief from the court. Those matters are still to be settled.

Meanwhile, the BCCI appointed Rajeev Shukla as the new IPL chairman, succeeding Chirayu Amin.

Vilasrao Deshmukh was appointed the Media Committee chairman, Farukh Abdullah is the Marketing Committee chairman, Jyotiradiya Scindia is Finance Committee chairman while G Viswanath replaces Amarnath in the IPL Governing Council. Stepping into Srinivasan?s shoes as BCCI secretary is Sanjay Jagdale.