ECB raises residence time for overseas cricketers aiming to represent England to 7 years

London, May 1(ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that

erseas born players wishing to represent England now face an extended qualification period of seven years, which represents an increase from the existing four year term.

The new regulation will apply to all male cricketers, who begin residing in England after attaining the age of 18 years.

For those living in England before they were aged 18, the period of qualification will be four years, Sports 24 reports.

The move comes after England came under criticism, both from within their own cricket community and from abroad, particularly in Australia and South Africa, for fielding several players, who were born overseas but qualified for their adopted nation under the four year-rule.

According to an ECB statement, the new qualification regulations will be effective from April 25, 2012 onwards.

The amendment, however, cannot be applied retrospectively and allows ECB to reduce the residence period to four years for prospective players, who either hail originally from a country, which is a non-International Cricket Council full member or who arrived in England before April 25.

This caveat could, possibly, apply to Irish players aiming to follow the same path as Dublin-born Middlesex and England batsman Eoin Morgan. (ANI)