Hopes draws biggest bid at IPL auction

Mumbai:

In second player auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday, several international cricketers went under the hammer.

Members of the Under-19 World Cup winning Indian squad were also auctioned.

James Hopes was the biggest bid of the day. He was bought by Mohali for USD 300,000.

Ashwell Prince, bought by Mumbai Indians for USD 175,000 and New Zealand pacer Kyle Mills, bought by Mohali for USD 150,000 were the other big bids of the day.

The colts were available at a fixed player fee of $30,000 and the list includes victorious captain Virat Kohli, Saurabh Tiwary, Srivats Goswami and Taruvar Kohli.

The first players' auction saw 77 players being auctioned off for sums ranging from $1.5 million to $400,000.

Australian paceman Shaun Tait, who took a break from the game in January due to emotional and physical exhaustion, and retired spinner Brad Hogg have also made public their desire to join the league. But neither were on Tuesday's auction list.

IPL Lalit Chairman Modi said that even after the second round of auctions, some teams were left with varying amounts from the USD 5 million cap ranging from Jaipur's 1.4 million to Mohali's 2,500 USD.

"The final list of all the eight teams (for the April 18-June 1 first edition) would be announced on March 18," Modi announced.

Modi sounded happy, from IPL's viewpoint, that following the cancellation of the Australian tour to Pakistan the players from these countries would be available for more number of matches.

"It's very positive as far as we're concerned that Australian and Pakistan players would be available to play in the IPL", he said.

Modi also clarified that all under 19 players who have played Ranji Trophy would be paid USD 50,000 while those who have not done so would get USD 30,000.

Significantly Mohd Yousuf, one of the Pakistan team's middle order mainstays, was ignored for the second successive auction as apparently no franchise wants to get into a legal imbroglio.

Yousuf, who is fighting a legal battle with the rival Indian Cricket League (ICL), will be paid his contracted amount by the IPL if he remains unsold, Modi clarified.

Auction results on Tuesday:

Delhi Daredevils:
Brett Geeves - USD 50,000 - Tasmania
Pradeep Sangwan - USD 30,000 - India U-19

Mohali:
Kyle Mills - USD 150,000 - New Zealand
James Hopes - USD 300,000 - Australia
Luke Pomersbach - USD 50,000 - Australia
Ajitesh Argal - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Tanmay Srivastava - USD 30,000 - India U-19

Bombay Indians:
Saurabh Tiwary - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Manish Pandey - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Ashwell Prince - USD 175,000 - South Africa

Kolkata Knight Riders:
Salman Butt - USD 100,000 - Pakistan
Mohammad Hafeez - USD 100,000 - Pakistan
Iqbal Adbullah - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Siddarth Kaul - USD 30,000 - India U-19

Bangalore Royal Challengers:
Virat Kohli - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Sreevats Goswami - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Misbah-ul Haq - USD 125,000 - Pakistan
Abdur Razzak - USD 50,000 - Bangladesh
Ross Taylor - USD 100,000 - New Zealand

Jaipur Rajasthan Royals:
Morne Morkel - USD 60,000 - South Africa
Dmitry Mascarenhas - USD 100,000 - England
Shane Watson - 125,000 - Australia
Sohail Tanvir - USD 100,000 - Pakistan
Ravindra Jadeja - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Taruwar Kohli - USD 30,000 - India U-19

Chennai Super Kings
Napoleon Einsten - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Abhinav Mukund - USD 30,000 - India U-19
Viraj Kadbe - USD 30,000 - India U-19

(With inputs from PTI)