BBL chiefs have agreed to reduce the number of foreign players in the league from five to four from next season, claiming it would assist any of the home countries qualifying for the next Commonwealth Games.

The move - will see three work permit and one non-permit player permitted - is not to the level of two per side sought to England Basketball.

However the BBL also confirmed that consideration is being given to suspending all play for the duration of Melbourne 2006, even though most of England and Scotland’s leading performers are currently based outside the UK and would thus likely be unavailable for the event.

BBL chairman Vince Macaulay claimed: “We are very keen to help ensure the England team will be as successful as possible in Melbourne in 2006.” 

His apparent snub to the other prospective qualifiers though earned an immediate rebuke from chiefs at Basketball Scotland who remain confident of beating out the English for a berth Down Under.

Cash-strapped England Basketball presently do not have a national team programme despite the recent appointment of Peter Scantlebury as coach for the Commonwealth Games campaign.

While Scotland have already named their training squad and will begin their build-up with friendlies against Luxembourg in Edinburgh, provisionally scheduled for June.

With Australia, New Zealand and Canada - plus the competing African countries - all likely to field close to full strength teams for Melbourne, the chances of any of the British home nations  medalling are slim.

FIBA have yet to confirm the qualification process for Melbourne. In a recent statement, it was claimed that world rankings would be used. However all the home nations presently share the same ranking.