After the incredible popularity of Indian premier League, there were widespread talks in America of holding their own Twenty20 league namely the American Premier League Cricket. Eight teams from different countries were finalized with appropriate coaches. Richie Richardson was named the chief recruiter and it was all going smooth for inaugural audition to take place in late 2009. It was named American premier league (APL).

Trouble brewed when APL failed to get official sanction. There was a remarkable revolt from the International Cricket Committee (ICC), which has in its agenda to stop any rebel tournament to flourish. ICC sent its representative Farokh Engineer to convince them that the best way to mitigate rebels is to start own official enterprise.

The new system may retain the players that would have been part of APL. Now, however, it will be run by USA Cricket Association (USACA), a branch of ICC. Logistics are being finalized and stadiums are getting quality-checked for better capacity and facilities. Potential sponsors and backers have been intimated to send their proposals by August 7, 2009.

Recession and terrorism are holding many countries captive. Thus it may take a bit of time for USACA to realize their dreams and rake profits. Tentative date for the inaugural edition has been mooted sometimes in 2011.

Each team will boast a host of quality players and some new ones. With Richard Hadlee, John Emburey and Richie Richardson at the helm of cricketing affairs, one can expect livewire action. They say patience yields sweet fruits and so one should wait just a bit to be enthralled by this wonderful variant of cricket: Twenty20.

Jay Mir, the CEO of American Sports and Entertainment Group. Inc is coming up with a mega-show this October. APL or American Premier League is an idea that will envelop the American nation in the mentioned month. However, APL is unsanctioned by ICC and it believes that the Rebel American League will cause a lot of nuisance.

To combat the march of APL, I.S Bindra, Principal Advisor of ICC has advised US officials to explore a model akin to the IPL and set up a tournament in America. Such a model will succor from the fever of T20 cricket and certainly amass funds required for the development of cricket in America. Presently, only the South Asian contingent seems interested in the fame.

Mr. Bindra believes that regulating a rebellious enterprise would not be as successful as finding a plausible alternative to curb its growth. He cited the example of India where ICC has virtually nipped Rebel League ICL in the budding stage by sponsoring IPL (already an illustrious league within an year of its formation).

APL has already recruited the services of former legend Sir Richard Hadlee as an executive consultant.  It has also confirmed Richie Richardson for the post of Chief recruiter and Premium West Indies coach. All these are efforts to gain credibility as also to boost the set-up even further.

The American Rebel League will hold its matches at the Staten Island in New York and it has already converted a minor league stadium into a cricket stadium. Statue of Liberty and River Hudson would lord over the beautiful stadium.

6 teams shown below are expected to take part in the first event of American Premier League (APL 2009). Currently the following Players in the respective teams have confirmed their positions for the APL Premier League 2009;

Premium Pakistan

• Moin Khan (Coach)
• Inzamam Ul Haq (Captain)
• Imran Nazir
• Imran Farhat
• Rana Naved
• Toufeeq Umar
• Abdul Razzaq
• Shahid Nazir
• Shabbir Ahmed
• Humayun Farhat

Premium India

Premium Bengal

Andrew Shedlock (Coach)

Premium West Indies

Richie Richardson (Coach)

Premium World

• John Emburey (Coach)
• Damien Martyn (Captain)
• Lance Kluesner
• Adam Hollioke
• Graeme Hick
• Jason Gillespie
• Marvan Attapatu
• Nathan Astle
• Nantie Hayward

Premium America

To gain some credibility, Jay Mir, CEO of American Sports and Entertainment Group. Inc. has appointed Richie Richardson as the chief recruiter and Sir Richard Hadlee as the Executive consultant. His designation as the board member might give a semblance of respectability to yet another rebel league but it would still have to fight many cases with the various country cricketing councils.

Jay Mir is ferociously recruiting ostracized players of the day and also those past their prime. The idea is to create another mega circus of cricket. Staten Island, NY, might not be abuzz yet but the South Asian contingent has certainly woken up to the game. Already, a 10000-seater baseball-converted stadium is being created.

NZC chief executive feels that a player and ambassador of Hadlee’s caliber should not have got aligned to a rebel outfit yet this is the way of the world and even Hadlee has a “ life to lead” he feels.

Despite what the cricket boards have to say, Jay Mir might be able to bring some sanity into the scene as the man is a talented entrepreneur and knows where he is investing his money. For the uninitiated, another rebel league, the ICL, has scrapped this year’s venture owing to paucity of funds.

Come October 6th and America will be ignited with the splinters of a new sport. Yes, the South Asian community is hooked to cricket but by and large, the sport that has caught the imagination of commonwealth countries since long will be running on a virgin territory here. Staten Island in New York is all decked up. Already, a minor-league baseball ground is being converted. 10000 seats have been arranged. If all goes according to the plan, Jay Mir, the man behind the show, would find the stadium packed on the inaugural day.

The stadium has a picturesque setting with the Statue of Liberty peeping over it and mighty Hudson flowing beneath it. It is a rare sight and something along the lines has hardly been witnessed even in countries where cricket is an extravaganza. Accelerated recruitment is underway and already many legends of the game have been hired in some capacity or another.

If there is Richard Hadlee as the executive consultant and Richie Richardson as chief recruiter, there is also a strong coach line-up boasting of former greats like John Emburey and Richardson once again. Players are being siphoned off from the ICL fold with lucrative offers. Many retirees are also going to make their presence felt. APL is brightening up with the presence of players like Martyn, Gillespie, Astle, Parore, Harris, Boje, Klusener, Hall, Hollioake, Hicks, Saqlain and Inzamam.

Here is wishing the American cricketing revolution all the success that it deserves.