Australians are not complaining bcoz no body in the current squad is playing ipl earning huge amounts except brett lee US$970,000 .Ponting is having only US$270,000.so he will tell any thing .All Aussie retired stars only getting good amounts.

Can you put a price on conversations with children and grandchildren in years to come?

"Dad, when did you get back from the Bahamas? By the way, did you ever score a hundred against Australia?"

"No, my Harvard-educated son. Test cricket was pretty much dead by then."

Can you honestly say , the current mob of players are a team...........who needs them, we may as well scarp the lot, play domestic cricket and IPL no international team.....no loyality to their country end of story

Wow Johnathan is this your attempt at a retirement letter? If not then it probably should be, unfortunately for you it displays a deep level of misplaced resentment and a loss of touch with the modern world. Surely even the baby boomer generation by now must realise that they have created a world in which the dollar now rules and so there is no point in complaining that professionals in any field must foremost think of their own financial security and that of their offspring. Bearing that in mind sportspeople once they have gotten over the initial joy attaining a level of excellence need to do what they must to ensure their future. Once this is ensured they can then continue to enjoy plying their trade. Weighing this off against supposed loyalty must surely be difficult, especially when coupled with modern multimedia which allows for their constant vilification by the masses over even the slightest perceived indiscretion. Remember loyalty goes both way. If as a fan or commenter you believe that sportspeople owe their loyalty first and foremost to you, to provide you with enjoyment and entertainment, then in return you owe them your unwavering loyalty. Put away the hate the bitterness and the misplaced resentment and get back to supporting and enjoying your chosen sport.

I don't care if players prefer to play IPL first and their country next!!! As long as when they do play they give it their all. All any fan wants is to see their team give it their all and not just capitulate like the Black Caps do on a regularly basis. Watching the NZ Cricket team is like watching paint dry - boring and stupid. The Black Caps are like a joke you tell when there is nothing else to say - "Do you watch the Black Caps games against Bangladesh? Those NZers really no how to bore the other team into giving up their wickets!!!"

well pay them more to play for N.Z! it is a professional sport after all. There is far too much emphasis on international sport who really gives a toss about the state of test cricket anyhow? club sport is what it is all about

JONATHAN MILLMOW, you are a tool! Do you write for the 'post' for $50K a year or would you rather write for someone else for $500,000k a year? lets do the figures??? And I don't know why they pay you to write this rubbish anyway!

Dear Mr. Millmow,

It is really quite rediculos to hear all this stories about cash over country, loyalty etc. I am a professional and know that at the end of the day one has to look after himself, the family and the financial security. If NZ cricket is so concerned, why not offer the players the contracts that are paid higher then the IPL? Let's take the whole money part out of it. If my employer wants me and a competition offers me lot more money to go work for them (its pretty much the same work that I enjoy BTW), it is my preesent employer's duty to offer me if not more, the same money to retain my services. Don't make me feel guilty and show the lessons of loyalty - if I choose money. Shquille O'Neil of Los Angeles Lakers once said - It is not about the money, it's about how much...! It is true in professional sport. If these cricketer fail to perform to your expectation, you will be all over them saying they are professional cricketers and should know how to handle it. If they are professional then let them execise their rights to choose where they want to play and for how much. As far as the Children goes - I think they would rather receive a large sum of money as inheritance than brag about their farther scoring a test century against Aussies. Besides, the board is the one who will drop a player with couple of bad performances and then what? So dear Jonathan, if you were given Ten times the money for one tenth of the work and still keep your job at Dominion Post, would you not go and work for Times of India? You wish...! Don't you?

@Paul#51, Im no fan of Modi/BCCI, but the comment "I would suggest you go after the real villains here Lalit Modi and the IPL" is as bad as the article itself. You make it sound like Modi/BCCI, told NZ players "You can't participate in IPL, if you play for NZ".

Also for the question "Dad, did you ever score a hundred against Australia?", I have no issues with it, if not participating in IPL will guarantee a hundred against the Aussies.

If NZ's best soldiers and SAS troops left our shores to fight for the French Foreign Legion, then it's only natural that some of us will feel betrayed. However if the French Foreign Legion paid better than the NZDF, then it would be unfair to criticise them for their decision.

It's the same with cricket. We can feel betrayed, but accept that in our capitalistic world, not too many of us would do differently. Loyalty can be bought.