IPL tempting England stars

THIS year’s Indian Premier League is on course to feature more England players than ever after the ECB agreed to more than two dozen applications. The signing weekend of January 27-28 in Bangalore is likely to include captain Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. It could mean some of England’s multi-format players depart New Zealand on April 2, after five months on the road. They would only return home for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on May 24 — or possibly later. The IPL final is scheduled for May 27.