Amnesty offers lifeline to NZ cricket rebels

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New Zealand cricket rebels including Shane Bond and Darryl Tuffey could soon be cleared to return to top level play.

Bond and Tuffey have been banned from the Black Caps since they signed with the rebel Indian Cricket League but news last night has revealed the India and Pakistan cricket boards have offered amnestys to players if they sever ties with the unsanctioned Twenty20 tournament by the end of next month.

Indian and Pakistan rebels could play in their respective domestic competitions immediately but in India they would have to wait a year to be eligible to play internationally.

Earlier this month the International Cricket Council rejected an ICL application for official recognition, but left it up to the individual cricket boards to decide on what penalties to impose on players who decide to return to officially-sanctioned cricket.

New Zealand Cricket boss Justin Vaughan says the decision is whether the players, who already play domestically, should face further international sanction but he hinted to Cricinfo.com that NZ may consider waiving any "cooling off period".

"We've made no secret of the fact that we would welcome players back if they were to leave the ICL," Vaughan told Cricinfo.com.

"The question is exactly when they would be available for selection, and that is something the (NZC) board will make a decision on."

"We're slightly different to India in that Bond and Tuffey have already played domestic cricket with us, and if those players did decide to terminate their ICL contracts, it would be up to our board to decide when they would be available. We will watch with interest what other countries do."

A decision would probably be made at NZC's next board meeting in June.

As yet none of the ICL players have terminated, or been released from their contracts.

"As far as I'm aware, I'm not available for international cricket yet," Bond told Cricinfo.

"It will all depend on what is happening with the ICL. At this stage I'm still contracted to them, but if that was to change then I would have to have a look at things."

Bond still has a year to go on his ICL contract, reported to be $800,000 a year, and was guarded to Cricinfo about his future.

"I am interested in playing at the top level," he said. "The hardest thing this year is that my season only lasted two months. That was pretty hard work for me, because it wasn't long enough. I have been training for five weeks, and actually had my first bowl today, so I'm in pretty good shape. I would like to play the (first-class season). I don't want the big break. That's my intention. But until I learn more about (the BCCI's amnesty) it doesn't really change anything for me at this stage."

Other former Black Caps that played in the ICL include Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Andre Adams and Lou Vincent, but Bond and Tuffey are considered the ones who could still return to the international arena.

- © Fairfax NZ News