England and India cricket officials are reportedly close to an agreement which could lead to the return of a five-Test series between the two teams and even Indian Premier League matches being played at English venues. Reports in both countries say there is a closer relationship between the two cricket federations since England returned to India after the Mumbai terror attacks in November to play two Test matches. The last two games in the one-day series between the two teams were abandoned after the attacks, which killed 164 people, and England flew home. But Kevin Pietersen's team returned just over a week later to play Tests in Chennai and Mohali, with India winning the series 1-0. According to the Guardian newspaper, England and India hope to announce a groundbreaking agreement after further talks later this month which could lead to changes at both test and Twenty20 levels. The newspaper said the agreement would lead to IPL matches being played in England, where there is a huge following of fans, and a five-Test series for the first time since England toured India in 1984-85. The England and Wales Cricket Board would also remove its restriction that English players only be available for two weeks of the IPL season, which runs during April and May. The payback follows intense negotiations between Giles Clarke, the chairman of the ECB, David Collier, the chief executive, and the BCCI's new president Shashank Manohar as well as its secretary, N. Srinivasan. The paper quoted a leading ECB official as saying: “First of all it was absolutely vital that we returned to India after what happened in Mumbai. We promised India that a team would go back, if possible the same team that was originally selected, but if not a bloody good team. “There was a lot of hard work involved and some extremely complex negotiations to get the players back. Hugh Morris (the managing director of the England Cricket Board) was fantastic. But as a result of all the stuff we went through the two boards got to know each other a lot better and something more than mutual respect has emerged. Some serious friendships have been made, too. “They did fantastically well in staging the two matches and preparing the pitches at the venues. We have come to understand each other's positions – for example we can see exactly where they are coming from with the (rival) ICL (Indian Cricket League) – and as a result I think there is the possibility that the game can go forward in a number of areas. The possibilities are immense.” The ECB believes it is better placed than the Australian board to forge a lucrative partnership with the BCCI, which regards relations between the countries as “at its best phase ever”. “The Indian diaspora in this country is huge and there would be great support for the IPL franchises over here,” the ECB official added. “It is very clear that the IPL is still gathering momentum.”
