Sending out a strong message for its players, the New Zealand board has announced that it won’t spare any of its contracted cricketers for the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).
Stories were doing the rounds that Test skipper Stephen Fleming might cut short his international career to join the cash-rich Indian league, along with pace spearhead Shane Bond and the retired duo of Chris Cairns and Nathan Astle.
Chief executive of the New Zealand Cricket Justin Vaughan hinted retired players can do whatever they want but asserted that NZC won’t release its contracted players.
He said
New Zealand Cricket cannot agree to release our contracted players to participate in the ICL.
We have entered into these contracts in good faith and stand by our players through their contract period. We expect players to treat us the same way.
Vaughan pointed out that ICL, an Essel Group-backed venture, does not enjoy approval from either the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the International Cricket Council (ICC) and there was no question of siding with the breakaway league.
Though Fleming has not cleared the air, it’s widely believed that he has been offered astronomical amount to captain one of the six teams which would compete in ICL’s inaugural Twenty20 competition.
Former India captain Kapil Dev heads the Executive Board of the ICL, which also includes his former teammate Kiran More, former England captain Tony Greig and Australian cricketer-turned-commentator Dean Jones.
West Indies batting great Brian Lara has joined the ICL, as did former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq, along with a few of his teammates.
