England openers to miss Twenty20 finals

5:10am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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TEST openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook will not be available to feature for their counties on Twenty20 finals day this Saturday.

The centrally-contracted England pair have been asked to rest ahead of next week's third npower Test against South Africa at Edgbaston which begins on Wednesday.

Strauss' Middlesex and Cook's Essex are vying to qualify for the final at the Rose Bowl, with the successful semi-finalists guaranteed a place in the money-spinning Champions League this autumn.

However, England's management have vetoed their participation following back-to-back Tests against the South Africans.

“It was deemed after two tough Test matches that those players who played in both Tests will not be available,” confirmed an England spokesman.

England's top two domestic Twenty20 teams will face off against opposition from Australia, India and South Africa in the inaugural multi-nation tournament this October with the winners claiming the £2.5million jackpot.

l Counties have been warned that a reluctance to release players for international duty with lesser nations comes “at their peril.”

The International Cricket Council and England and Wales Cricket Board have determined to get tough to protect the integrity of matches played by the likes of Ireland and Scotland.

There has been concern that these countries may have to field under-strength sides if their county-contracted players are unavailable.

Counties have been generally willing to release players but the governing bodies do not want players to feel they may be jeopardising their careers by turning out for their countries.

Next month six of the ICC's ‘associate' countries – Ireland, Scotland, Bermuda, Canada, Kenya and Holland – will play for three places at next year's World Twenty20 at a tournament in Belfast.

ICC president David Morgan said: “In terms of the ICC WT20 qualifier, that will make sure the best teams reach next year's event, rather than the teams with the most top players available on that weekend in August, something that will then have a knock-on effect of enhancing next year's event.”

ECB chairman Giles Clarke insisted the English game's governing body were firmly behind the policy.

Clarke said: “The ECB recognises that nation versus nation is the lifeblood of cricket and its integrity must be protected at all costs.”

In summarising their stance, an ICC statement added: “It has further agreed that all parties compromise or fail to protect this belief at their peril.”