ESSEX could follow in the footsteps of Nottinghamshire and ban their players from playing in the Indian Premier League in future years.
The likes of Ravi Bopara, Ryan ten Doeschate and Owais Shah regularly miss the first part of the English domestic season due to their participation in the money-spinning Twenty20 competition.
And although that will again be the situation this season, head coach Paul Grayson says the Notts idea has been discussed by the club's committee and will be again in six months' time.
He said: "It's something we keep discussing on a regular basis about what we're going to do and eventually we might make a decision and say: 'enough's enough you either play for Essex or you play somewhere else'.
"Some counties are putting a stop to it and not letting their players go.
"We'll see [what we decide to do]. Notts were the first ones that said if their lads go to the IPL then they don't play for Notts, it's up to them what they decide to do."
Grayson said that the club was working with the England & Wales Cricket Board and the Professional Cricketers' Association to establish whether or not such a proposal would contravene any employment laws.
The other danger is that top players could well decide to leave for other counties willing to accept their demands.
"If they're under contract they can't do anything about it but if they're at the end of their contract they might go to another club that lets them go to the IPL, if that's what they want to do," added Grayson.
The current situation makes planning for the season ahead difficult but Grayson argues that it does at least provide a chance for younger players to stake their claim in the first team.
He said: "It can be a bit of a problem but it gives one or two of the younger lads a chance to go out and show what they can do; the Mickleburghs, the Westleys and Foakes can come in and the others will have to wait their turn before they come back in to the side. Just because they go to the IPL there's no guarantee they'll walk back in to the side.
"You've got to be loyal to players, it works both ways."
