Lee hopes CA-BCCI sponsor conflict would end

MELBOURNE: Fast bowler Brett Lee has expressed confidence that his board and BCCI would reach an agreement to allow the Australian cricketers play in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.
   
"If the opportunity comes up, then great, the IPL poses a brilliant opportunity for Australian and other world cricketers to go out there and play in the Twenty20 form," Lee was quoted as saying by 'Sunday Telegraph'.

"I'm sure it's going to all work out and people will be very happy with the outcome," Lee said.

Indian board and Cricket Australia were locked on a sponsorship dispute that threatens to deny Aussie cricketers to play in the Twenty20 competition which starts on April 18.

CA does not want its players to endorse IPL sponsors which would compete with its own sponsors as the league would be telecast in Australia.

Ricky Ponting has laughed off his board's position, saying since there was no protection of CA's sponsors when Australian cricketers play in English County championship, there could not be such condition in case of IPL which he said should be treated as a domestic tournament of India.
   
Andrew Symonds had also criticised his board for coming in the way of cricketers' joining the IPL, saying CA's position that Australians cannot play for teams whose sponsors are competitors of Cricket Australia sponsors was unreasonable.