Butcher denies ICL link, Ramprakash not on radar

Former England batsman and Surrey captain Mark Butcher dismissed media reports linking him to the Indian cricket League (ICL), even as his county also clarified that another player, Mark Ramprakash, has not received any such offer either.

Earlier, 'The Times' had claimed that the 35-year-old Butcher, who has played 71 Test matches for England, has been approached to captain one of the six sides in the breakaway league.

Former England captain Tony Greig, part of ICL's Executive Board, reportedly identified Butcher to join the rebel league.

Butcher, however, expressed surprise at the report and insisted he was just focusing on his job at Surrey.

"When I was told of the claims made in The Times, I was completely surprised and slightly disconcerted to see my name attached to something that I knew nothing about. I have not received any kind of approach from the ICL," he said.

"If I was to have received an invitation to play in the ICL, my first action would be to alert Surrey and discuss possible outcomes with them," Butcher added in a statement.

Surrey media spokesman Nathan Ross, meanwhile, told BBC Sport that the prolific Mark Ramprakash has not been approached by the ICL authorities either.

However, in case any of the players defect to the Indian league, Surrey is unlikely to object, he said.

"Anyone who wanted to play would effectively be out of contract so there wouldn't be a lot we could do about it even if we were to oppose it, which at the moment we don't, we don't have a stance. It's nothing to do with us it's more of an ICC, ECB thing," Ross said.

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