London: A marathon five-hour long meeting between the top Indian cricketers and the International Cricket Council (ICC) on September 4 failed to break the deadlock over the contract issue with the two sides understood to be sticking to their positions. A day ahead of the crucial series-deciding fourth Test between India and England, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed met five top Indian cricketers and discussed their refusal to sign the contract for the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka starting later this month.The contract requires the players to forego their individual endorsements in favour of the official sponsors in case of a clash of interest. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shan said in Mumbai that if the ICC gives "some concession" there is a possibility that the top Indian players locked in the sponsorship row will agree and sign the contract. "Otherwise we have no other option and we will again go to ICC and give our position to them," he added. Shah made it clear that India will be participating in Champions trophy dubbed as the mini world cup starting in Sri Lanka from September 12. "If the players do not sign the contract, our process is on and we have talked to players who had played international cricket and they have also signed the players' terms. We will select the team for Champions trophy from them, We are under obligation to play in the tournament," he added. Board president Jagmohan Dalmiya has expressed the hope that the current stand-off on sponsorship issue would be resolved soon. Dalmiya said in Kolkata that if a solution was not found to the row, India will not give any 'walkover' in the Champions Trophy and the alternative team was ready. The Board has already picked 25 probables excluding the entire Indian team now touring England as part of a contingency plan. Dalmiya expressed his ignorance about any move on the part of Indian cricketers to take legal action in case they were excluded from the Indian team for the Champions Trophy. Extras:
Dalmiya puts ball in ICC court to resolve row
Ganguly hopeful of early solution to contract tangle
Thatscricket Special: ICC Champions Trophy 2002

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