Warne opts for less salary at IPL

Melbourne: Legendary Shane Warne has signed with the Indian Premier League, for "significantly less" amount than what was reportedly offered to him by the rebel ICL, media reports said on Sunday.

Warne has inked the deal for less than $600,000, the minimum figure reportedly offered by the Indian Cricket League, which would add to the credibility of the IPL, according to Australian daily Syndey Morning Herald on Sunday.

"However, marketing opportunities and a bidding war between the eight IPL franchises could see him earn more than $1 million for a month's work," it said.

The report said Warne was on the verge of signing with the ICL, but negotiations in the past 72 hours clinched the signature of the spin bowling great, Glenn McGrath and recently deposed New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.

McGrath and Fleming were paraded during the BCCI meeting last week to announce the IPL and the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, which would be conducted in partnership with Australian, England and South African boards.

Fleming also took a big sign-on cut to join the IPL, the paper said.

Warne will continue to play for Hampshire in the England county competition, where he has another year remaining on his contract. He will leave in April to join a franchised IPL club in India, where he will play between 10 and 14 games of Twenty20 over 30 to 40 days.

If his Indian team finishes in the top two, Warne may represent that team at the 10-day international Champions Twenty20 League, though that is yet to be confirmed - he could still be offered to the highest bidder.

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