Nixon unavailable for Twenty20 in 2010

Leicestershire CCC confirmed today that due to his past Indian Cricket League (ICL) unauthorised cricket connections, Paul Nixon will not be available to play for the club during the 2010 Twenty20 campaign.

Leicestershire Chief Executive David Smith said the advice the club had been given by the ECB via the Champions League governing body, was that if Paul played for Leicestershire in this summer’s competition then Leicestershire could not be invited to participate in the Champions league in September 2010.

The top two teams in this year’s Twenty20 finals competition will be invited to play in the Champions League. Participation fees alone for this competition run into six-figure sums plus, with teams from all over the world competing in this global event.

Leicestershire have invested heavily in the current first-team squad for the forthcoming season.

Brad Hodge was the fifth recent Leicestershire signing along side his Victorian team mate and Australian Test match all-rounder Andrew McDonald, who is Leicestershire’s overseas player for the 2010 cricket season.

The club has also signed England bowler Matthew Hoggard who will Captain the club, along with Will Jefferson and James Benning.

Smith confirmed that he believed the squad had been “significantly strengthened” by these signings. Brad Hodge and Andrew McDonald are Twenty20 specialists and have been specifically brought in to assist the club to be competitive in this form of the game.

Both played last year in the semi-finals of the inaugural Champions league semi-final with Victoria. They were also two of the stand-out players in this summers Big Bash Australian Twenty20 tournament which was won by their team, the Victoria Bush Rangers.

Smith added the club has an excellent record in the Twenty20 competition and could simply not put at risk Champions League participation through the playing of any player with ICL connections.

So unless there is a change in the Champions Leagues position towards Indian Cricket League Players, the club will not pick Paul Nixon to play.

Smith added that Paul, who at 39 is in the last year of his current contract, would be available to play for Leicestershire CCC in Championship and 40-over cricket only in 2010.