Bopara shuns IPL offer to pursue Test hopes

Published on Tuesday 6 May 2008 23:35

ENGLAND all-rounder Ravi Bopara maintains a successful international future means more to him than the short-term financial gain of the Indian Premier League.

Bopara has rejected a substantial six-figure sum to link up with an unnamed IPL franchise for the final four weeks of the competition in a bid to re-establish his England credentials.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a blistering start to the season, clubbing 341 runs in three LV County Championship innings for Essex as well as topping the county's bowling averages with six wickets at less than 18 apiece.

An eye-catching knock of 66 against the touring New Zealand side also stands him in good stead and he has decided against joining Hampshire skipper Dimitri Mascarenhas, currently the only England-qualified player involved in the lucrative Twenty20 competition, on the sub-continent.

"Of course, when figures like these are put in front of you, it is tempting, but my goal is to play regularly for England so I am confident that if I continue to score runs and take wickets for Essex, then I will hopefully play for England this summer and for many years to come," said Bopara.

"My first priority is with England. As a kid my ambition was to have a successful international career. All my cricketing idols have had successful international careers and I want to emulate them. My decision was made with England in mind.

"I'm currently playing well and with a Test series coming up if there was an injury to our batting line-up I'd like to think I would be next in line. (The offer] is a nice gesture – it's nice to be known and wanted. But at the present time I have other responsibilities – to score enough runs to get into the England team."

Although the IPL currently clashes with the county season, established England players like Kevin Pietersen and Ryan Sidebottom have declared their interest in participating in future editions.

Unlike them, Bopara is not centrally contracted to the ECB and, like Mascarenhas, would be free to pursue a contract with one of the eight IPL franchises if an agreement was reached with his employers.

MORE TROUBLE FOR HARBHAJAN

HARBHAJAN Singh faces further punishment from the Indian cricket board after being banned from the IPL for slapping a rival player.

Board of Control for Cricket in India's inquiry commissioner, Sudhir Nanavati said yesterday he was stunned by the footage of last month's incident in which Singh, representing Mumbai, slapped national team-mate Shantakumaran Sreesanth, who was playing for Punjab, the opposing team.

Singh was banned from the rest of the IPL tournament and fined his match fee.

Nanavati said the cricket board may also take disciplinary action against India Test star Singh, who is its contracted player.