David Collier, the ECB's chief executive remains confident the Twenty20 Champions League will go ahead, providing the parties involved can agree on "three or four points".

The future of the competition appeared to be in doubt after a report in The Times said the lucrative tournament - featuring the top teams from domestic competitions in England, South Africa, Australia and India - could be called off after officials failed to reach agreement on the issue of players involved in the rebel Indian Cricket League. However, Collier insists a compromise can be found.

"We are confident the Champions League will go ahead and we have had discussions in the week," Collier said.

"There are a number of rules and regulations that need to be ironed out and there are three or four points we still have concerns over. In an ideal world, all four countries will participate and the deal is on the table.

"Any tournament has to have the top nations involved. It seems we will have an initial year where it is a big issue."

Lalit Modi, the Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner, has denied stories that the original version of the Champions League, seen as his brainchild, has stalled, even though The Times understands that at least one of the IPL finalists was told last week that the tournament will not go ahead.

Other officials within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have briefed media networks that the eight-team competition will be postponed, at best, because the four participating countries - Australia, South Africa, England and India - are struggling to agree terms.

But the ECB is at an advanced stage of talks over a tournament in the Middle East - either Dubai or Abu Dhabi - along similar lines to the Champions League, which could be at least as lucrative. Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings would be invited to compete from the IPL, but under different terms.

On the Champions League, the ECB is reluctant to allow the BCCI a 50 per cent stake and is offering an equal share to participants in the alternative. Modi has also refused to soften his stance on the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), insisting that counties with ICL players should not appear in the competition.

That would disenfranchise Kent and Durham, although Essex and Middlesex - drawn in separate semi-finals for tomorrow - do not have that problem. The ECB thinks that Modi has failed to understand that employment law in Britain complicates the ICL issue.