Meeting between ICC and players fails to break deadlock

London, September 05: A marathon five-hour long meeting between the top Indian cricketers and the International Cricket Council in London on Wednesday failed to break the deadlock over the contract issue with the two sides understood to be sticking to their positions.

A day ahead of the crucial series-deciding fourth Test between between India and England, ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed met five top Indian cricketers and discussed their refusal to sign the contract for the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka starting later this month.

The contract requires the players to forego their individual endorsements in favour of the official sponsors in case of a clash of interest.

Speed later informed the eagerly waiting mediapersons that ICC now had a better understanding of the the players' concerns.

"The ICC today met the five Indian players and their representative Ravi Shastri and now has a better understanding of the present situation. The ICC doesn't want the players to be distracted before an important Test match tomorrow.

"The ICC would consult a few people overnight and hopefully would inform about the developments tomorrow," Speed said.

The discussions between ICC and the players follow a request from the Indian Cricket Board to the world governing body asking it to deal directly with the players.

In a letter to ICC last evening, BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said since BCCI had no authority to make changes in the ICC contracts as being demanded by the cricketers, it would be better if ICC discusses the matter directly with the players.