IPL auction list cut

Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff command high base prices in the second auction

Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen were among seven England players confirmed today among a final list of 43 set to take part in the second Indian Premier League auction this week - but Ian Bell and Matt Prior have withdrawn.

Bell and Prior had put themselves forward for Friday’s auction in Goa, where they would have competed with other leading players around the world for a contract with one of the eight franchises.

They would both have faced stiff competition from players like Australia’s Michael Clarke - and after considering their options, they decided to withdraw and ensure they have a break between the end of the one-day series in West Indies and the start of the summer.

Their announcement follows the decision of Nottinghamshire seamer Stuart Broad, who had already signalled his intention to miss out on the IPL this year to ensure he is in top condition for this year’s Ashes.

Bell and Prior have now taken a similar stance - which will allow them to rest following the end of the one-day series in West Indies on April 3 and the start of the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s on May 6.

Last week, the IPL named 114 players for the auction but have pruned the list down after consultation with the eight franchises.

Pietersen commands the highest base price of US$1.35million, above Australia vice-captain Clarke at US$one million. Flintoff’s base price is US$950,000.

Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright , Middlesex’s Owais Shah, Durham’s Paul Collingwood, Essex’s Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel from Nottinghamshire are the other English players who could come under the hammer.

Essex’s Graham Napier is also close to finalising a contract with the Mumbai Indians but does not have to go through the auction as an uncapped player.

There is no place for the likes of veteran Dominic Cork and the retired Darren Gough - who were both in the original list of English players named last week as being in the reckoning for the auction.

Five Pakistanis were in the original list, but none find a place in the final one - after their country’s Foreign Office refused to grant them permission to travel to India.

Final IPL auction list (Base price in US$ in brackets):
Australia - Aaron Bird (45,000), Brett Geeves (45,000), Bryce McGain (50,000), Daniel Harris (50,000), Dominic Thornely (50,000), George Bailey (50,000), Jonathan Moss (50,000), Michael Clarke (1,000,000), Michael Dighton (85,000), Michael Hill (50,000), Phil Jaques (100,000), Shane Harwood (75,000), Shaun Tait (250,000), Steven Smith (75,000), Stuart Clark (250,000).
Bangladesh - Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (50,000), Mohammad Ashraful (75,000), Shakib Al Hasan (75,000), Tamim Iqbal (50,000).
England - Andrew Flintoff (950,000), Kevin Pietersen (1,350,000), Luke Wright (150,000), Owais Shah (150,000), Paul Collingwood (250,000), Ravi Bopara (150,000), Samit Patel (100,000).
New Zealand - James Franklin (50,000), Jesse Ryder (100,000), Kyle Mills (150,000).
South Africa - Gulam Bodi (100,000), JP Duminy (300,000), Morne van Wyk (100,000), Tyron Henderson (100,000), Yusuf Abdullah (25,000).
Sri Lanka - Chamara Kapugedera (150,000), Kaushalya Weeraratne (50,000), Nuwan Kulasekara (100,000), Thilan Thushara (100,000).
West Indies - Dwayne Smith (TBC), Fidel Edwards (150,000), Jerome Taylor (TBC), Kemar Roach (50,000), Kieron Pollard (60,000).