In a new twist to the players' sponsorship issue, former Cricket Board President A C Muthiah on Thrusday said the controversial endorsement clause was not a part of the agreement when it was originally signed by the national cricket boards in 2000.
Muthiah, who drew flak from some quarters for having signed the agreement with the International Cricket Council after the 2000 Knock-out Trophy in Nairobi as the then BCCI chief, today clarified that the clause was added only later without his knowledge.
"When the contract was signed this particular clause was not there. Perhaps it was included afterwards and I was not aware or stood by the clause," Muthiah told.
The clause requires the players to forego any personal endorsement that conflicts with the interests of ICC's official sponsors one month before and after the tournament.
ICC, however, claims that protections to its sponsors was agreed by all Boards in 2000 that allowed the governing body to secure a $550 million commercial rights agreement for its events till 2007.
New Zealand cricketers will sign the controversial International Cricket Council's contract while India, Australia and England are hopeful of a compromise.
New Zealand Cricket Players' Association (NZCPA) executive manager Heath Mills said he had advised his players to agree to the contract because none had major personal endorsements that conflicted with tournament sponsors.
The Champions Trophy being held in Sri Lanka next month is being threatened by the on-going dispute, which could see top stars including Sachin Tendulkar and Glenn McGrath prevented from playing.
Australia, India and England are against signing the contract, which forces players to disengage from personal endorsements that clash with tournament ones, because they believe it is unlawful.
India's tour of England
Tour match, Chelmsford, day two of four India 516 v Essex 173-3
Shiv Sunder Das put Essex to the sword with an impressive 250 as India racked up 516 in their first innings at Chelmsford.
The diminutive opener did his prospects of a Test recall no harm by smashing four sixes and 32 fours in his marathon effort.
India skipper Sourav Ganguly made the most of an easy batting track to get some runs under his belt before the third Test against England, that starts at Headingley on Thursday.
Ganguly hit two sixes and 10 fours in a whirlwind 57-ball 74 and put on 105 for the seventh wicket with Das.
Essex spinners James Middlebrook and Tim Phillips took seven wickets between them, but all the Essex bowlers took some stick.
Resuming on 165 overnight, Das started off where he left off, picking up boundaries at will.
Andrew Flintoff will see a surgeon later on Thursday about his troublesome groin injury.
The England all-rounder was clearly suffering during the second Test against India at Trent Bridge.
He had a scan on Tuesday but the results were inconclusive so England have organised a visit to a specialist "for a further assessment on his groin".
It could mean the 24-year-old will be unavailable for the third Test at Headingley, starting on 22 August.
Flintoff's father Colin told BBC Sport Online: "Andrew is hurting and has been struggling through.
"We don't know how serious it is yet but if it means him missing some games then so be it.
"He has got to get it right and I think his main priority is the Ashes and the World Cup."
ICC Champions Trophy
South African selection chief Omar Henry has confirmed his country's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka in September but is clearly unhappy at having to do so almost a month before the tournament begins.
Speaking from Tangiers where South Africa are playing a triangular tournament against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Henry said on Thursday: "It has been almost impossible to select a squad so far in advance, especially with us having played so little cricket.
"It would have been better for us to name a larger squad and then reduce it closer to the tournament," Henry said.
Spinner Paul Adams has been jettisoned from the 15-man squad in Morocco in order to reduce the squad to the necessary size.
Five players have been named as being on standby, including Adams and Griquas batsman Loots Bosman.
SA squad: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Jonty Rhodes, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini, Roger Telemachus.
Morocco cup
Morocco Cup, Tangiers. Sri Lanka 267-7 beat South Africa 174 all out by 93 runs.
South Africa were bowled out for a paltry 174 to hand a 93-run win to Sri Lanka in the Morocco Cup in Tangiers.
Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to bat with veteran Aravinda de Silva rolling back the years to hit an unbeaten 73 as Sri Lanka reached 267-7.
South Africa were poor in reply, with only Gary Kirsten (55) and Lance Klusener (32 no) making decent knocks.
But they lost their last six wickets for just 71 runs.
Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya was in inspired form with the ball, taking three wickets for 23 runs.
Earlier de Silva had hit just four boundaries in his 84-ball knock, but his substantial contribution enabled Sri Lanka to really test South Africa.
The emphatic win, which gained Jayasuriya's men a bonus point, left Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan level with one victory each after the first round of the preliminary league.
Pakistan will announce a neutral venue next week for the Test series against Australia, according to reports.
A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said on Thursday he was confident the octover tour would not have to be postponed.
PCB director Chishty Mujahid told news agency AFP: "We would not like the exciting Test series against Australia to be postponed and will announce an off-shore venue next week."
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced last week the Aussies would not tour Pakistan because of fears over player security.
However captain Steve Waugh said he would be happy to play anywhere else.
Mujahid said: "Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Sharjah are the three options under consideration and we have taken advice from the government over shifting the series."
ACB chief executive James Sutherland said Australia would prefer to play at a neutral venue rather than have the series postponed.
Miscellaneous
Heath Streak said he agreed to become Zimbabwe captain for the second time because there had been lots of positive changes at the national cricket board.
The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) has appointed Streak as captain for the 2002-03 season with immediate effect.
Streak was originally appointed skipper last year but resigned before a one-day match with the West Indies in protest of a lack of input in team selection.
Young left spinner Brian Murphy took over but was replaced by Guy Whittall, Alistair Campbell and then Stuart Carlisle.
Streak said: "There's been some positive stuff that's happened in the cricket union.
"There's much better support for the captain now with [coach] Geoff Marsh at the helm and Kevin Curran assisting. That's a lot better.
Women's cricket
Second Women's Test, Taunton, day two India 156-3 v England 329
India's batters launched a determined rearguard effort to leave themselves with a good chance of gaining a first innings lead.
But the scoring has been exceptionally slow by the tourists, who have already used up 69 overs to get to 156 for three.
The day began with Mandie Godliman on 51 not out and the England team on 280 for seven.
Godliman added 14 to her score as England were ultimately all out for 329, with slow left-armer Neetu David taking the last three wickets to finish with four for 71.
In reply, India lost Sumetra Paranjpe for just two and Mamtha Maben for 20.
But Anjum Chopra (52) and Mithali Raj (43 not out) added 55 for the third wicket, before Hemlata Kala scored an unbeaten 31 with Raj to advance the scoring at a marginally quicker rate.
Raj has been in for three hours and minutes already.
In a new twist to the players' sponsorship issue, former Cricket Board President A C Muthiah on Thrusday said the controversial endorsement clause was not a part of the agreement when it was originally signed by the national cricket boards in 2000.
Andrew Flintoff will see a surgeon later on Thursday about his troublesome groin injury.
Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to bat with veteran Aravinda de Silva rolling back the years to hit an unbeaten 73 as Sri Lanka reached 267-7.
Heath Streak said he agreed to become Zimbabwe captain for the second time because there had been lots of positive changes at the national cricket board.