KCL player auction on July 11; 156 players to go under hammer

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 10 (PTI) The player auction for the second edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) will be held here on Saturday, with six franchises set to bid for 156 players. The auction, to be held at The Leela Raviz from 10 am, will be conducted by veteran auctioneer Charu Sharma, who has extensive experience handling player auctions at the international level and in the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a statement issued by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) on Friday. A total of 173 players have been shortlisted for the auction, ranging from promising teenage talents to established Ranji Trophy cricketers. Seventeen players have already been retained by the six franchises, it said. Aries Kollam Sailors and Thrissur Titans have retained the maximum four players each, while Calicut Globstars and Trivandrum Royals have retained three players each. Kochi Blue Tigers have retained two players and Alleppey Ripples one, as per the statement. Each franchise has a purse of Rs 50 lakh and can have a squad comprising a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 20 players. Teams that have retained players can spend only the balance amount available in their purse during the auction. Players have been grouped into three categories -- A, B and C -- based on their experience and achievements. The base price for Category A players, comprising those with First-Class, List A and IPL experience, has been fixed at Rs 3 lakh. Category B players, including those who have excelled in the Under-19 and Under-23 levels, will have a base price of Rs 1.5 lakh, while the base price for emerging Category C players, who have impressed in district, zonal and Kerala Cricket Association tournaments, has been fixed at Rs 75,000, the statement added. PTI LGK KH