Only Swann commands highest reserve price

 

Graeme Swann, the England offspinner, is the only player in the preliminary list for the 2012 IPL auction to command the highest reserve price of US$400,000. Two former Australia spinners, Brad Hogg and Stuart MacGill, are the oldest players on the list, at 41 and 40 respectively. Both their reserve prices have been set at $100,000.

A total of 183 players have been listed for the February 4 auction that will be held in Bangalore, but that number does not include the players from the terminated Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise. ESPNcricinfo understands they will be included in the final list for the auction. In all, the list features 120 capped players and 63 uncapped players. Zimbabwe have the highest number of international players with 25 followed by West Indies with 22. Australia have the most uncapped players with 28.

Two fast bowlers, Australia's Mitchell Johnson and England's James Anderson, have reserve prices of $300,000. However, neither player may be available for the entire tournament. Johnson, in December, was ruled out of cricket for "five to six months" after undergoing surgery on the big toe of his left foot in Melbourne. Meanwhile England tour Sri Lanka in March and April next year before hosting West Indies in May. England's schedule also stands to limit Swann's participation in the IPL.

West Indies are another side that will be playing international cricket during the IPL, with Australia heading there for the Frank Worrell Trophy in March and April, before the team heads to England in May. Members of Australia's national side will also be unavailable until the Test series with West Indies ends on April 27, 2012.

Among those in the $200,000 bracket are Peter Siddle, the Australia fast bowler, Matt Prior, the England wicketkeeper and Vernon Philander, who has been spectacular for South Africa in Tests since making his debut in November 2010 against Australia.

While there are no current Pakistan players on the list, Azhar Mahmood, who played 21 Tests for Pakistan but is now a British citizen, finds a place. Imran Tahir, the South Africa legspinner who was born in Lahore, is also on the list. The pair will cost a minimum of $100,000 each. The 2012 IPL begins on April 4 and the final will be played on May 27. The tournament will have nine teams playing each other home and away, with a total of 76 games being played over 54 days.