NZ Cricket bowls rebel league

New Zealand Cricket will not be releasing any contracted players for the proposed Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Test captain Stephen Fleming and fast bowler Shane Bond as well as retired allrounders Chris Cairns and Nathan Astle have been linked to the league.

However, NZ Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said no contracted player had approached NZC for a release to participate in the ICL competition.

Former Indian allrounder Kapil Dev is regarded as the brains behind the rebel Twenty20 competition scheduled to start in October which has already signed former West Indies and Pakistan captains Brian Lara and Inzamam-ul Haq.

The breakaway league is being bankrolled by media baron Subhash Chandra, who owns India's largest listed media company.

" ... 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 said the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association understood and supported NZC's position in principle.

"We value our positive relationship with our players and the Players' Association and I have communicated with our players to ensure they understand the reason for New Zealand Cricket's position and why it is in the best interests of the sport."

He said the proposed league would be an unofficial rebel tournament not sanctioned by either the International Cricket Council or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"Events such as the ICL could have the potential to compete with official international events and erode their value.

"New Zealand Cricket, and indirectly our professional player group, depends upon the value of the media rights associated with official international events to provide a majority of our income.

"It is therefore in the best interests of New Zealand Cricket not to support unofficial events such as the ICL."

He said the proposed league was scheduled to directly conflict with New Zealand's tour to South Africa as well as the start of the domestic season.

The BCCI has proposed staging an opposition Twenty20 competition to the rebel event and Vaughan said this might "present opportunities for both NZC and for NZC-contracted players to participate in an endorsed competition".

He considered it too early to discuss details of this and he expected more information to become public in coming weeks."
-with NZPA