IPL auction: Ponting, Clarke get top base price

They are not exactly Twenty20 stars, but retired Australia skipper Ricky Ponting and his successor Michael Clarke have attracted the highest base price of $400,000 (approx Rs 2.1 crore) among the 101 names who will go under the hammer in the IPL players' auction, in Chennai, on Sunday.

There are four marquee players in the list, the other two being South Africa all-rounder Johan Botha and out-of-favour India pacer R P Singh, whose base price is pegged at $100,000 (Rs 53.3 lakh).

Singh was bought by Mumbai Indians last year for $600,000, but after a dismal show of 10 wickets from 11 matches was released by the franchise.

While Clarke was previously with Pune Warriors Indians, Ponting played for Kolkata Knight Riders last season.

Botha, on the other hand, has attracted a base price of $300,000 (Rs 1.6 crore).

The list includes seven Indians, two Englishmen and Irish all-rounder Kevin O'Brien.

Even though Clarke and Ponting have attracted the highest base price, their T20 credentials are not exactly exciting.

Clarke retired from the format a couple of years ago, while the 38-year-old Ponting did not quite click with his initial franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Darren Sammy, who captained the West Indies in their World Twenty20 Championship triumph last year, is among the first-timers up for sale. His base price is set at $100,000.

Among other international players, England's Matt Prior and Ravi Bopara, both of whom went unsold last season, have a base price of $100,000 and $ 200,000 (Rs 1.06 crore).

The auction is expected to be a low-key affair owing to lack of star players in the list.

"Apart from filling in certain small gaps, I do not see any big action happening this time around. Also, with the player contracts expiring after the 2013 season, it would be difficult to place your bets on any big buys," a franchise official was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.