So is it the end of the road for the Indian Cricket League? It certainly looks so despite the brave statements by the few people still associated with it. It is always sad to see a project aimed at giving opportunities to players and develop the game slapped with the kind of crippling blows that it has been dealt with over the past few days but to be candid I saw it coming.

For all its seemingly sound financial backing, hyped up TV coverage and detailed scheduling there was always going to be a big question mark over the long term survival of the ICL once the BCCI and the ICC refused to give it official recognition. The paucity of venues, the uncomfortable war of words between the parties - including talk of taking up the matter of recognition legally - and the resounding success of the two IPL tournaments all meant that the ICL had effectively been grounded.

The death blows came in the form of the ICL not even able to conduct, for whatever reasons, their scheduled tournament