NZCPA stands up to BCCI

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/nzvind2009/content/story/392882.html

The Indian board's plan for six of its cricketers to turn out in New Zealand's domestic competition ahead of the Tests is in doubt with the New Zealand players' body saying it will not pull ICL players out of state squads to facilitate the games. On Friday, the board had withdrawn Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik at the last minute from a charity match involving ICL player Hamish Marshall.

"There's no way we'd stand for that," New Zealand Cricket Players' Association chief Heath Mills was quoted as saying in the New Zealand Herald. "They're New Zealanders and they're perfectly entitled to play in a domestic league in their own country. We will not accept players being stood down because of the petty politics of another country."

Also, if the BCCI maintains its tough stance on the ICL it cannot allow its players to join teams that field players from the banned league - this includes Canterbury (Shane Bond and Chris Harris) and Auckland (Daryl Tuffey). Tuffey is the only one to have played the four-day State Championship so far this season.

Mills said he was asked by Justin Vaughan, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, if he would agree to withdraw Marshall from the charity game so that the BCCI would let Tendulkar and Karthik play. "It's a fair enough question but I said 'absolutely not'. I fully understand the benefits of having Sachin play but Hamish is one of our members and that [withdrawing him] is just not on. But there was no pressure. Justin was entirely reasonable."

Accommodating the Indians in the other three teams will also be difficult since the rules allow only one overseas player per side. Even then, the Indians will be facing teams that include ICL players. Geoff Allott, the NZC manager, who will coordinate the allocation, said ICL was just one of the factors being considered. "[There is also] scheduling and the apportioning of players."

OP Tipping wrote:They're New Zealanders and they're perfectly entitled to play in a domestic league in their own country. We will not accept players being stood down because of the petty politics of another country."

Quite...

James Sutherland, are you taking note?

Is Heath Mills the grousest Kiwi on the planet?

JGK wrote:James Sutherland, are you taking note?

Isn't he the thunderqunts biatch??

Sorry to disappoint you guys, NZC has agreed to 6 Indian players playing in NZ domestic games.

Heath Mills, the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association (NZCPA) chief who had earlier said the players' body would block any move to pull out ICL players from the state sides to facilitate the games, said he was happy with the outcome. "Each major association is allowed one overseas player under our contracting environment which is something we have always supported and encouraged."

Justin Vaughan, New Zealand Cricket's chief executive, said he was pleased that the associations and NZCPA had been able to work constructively with the board to meet India's request of game time for the players.

"There have been a number of issues to work through, including the involvement of ICL players, NZC's rules around overseas and qualifying players, player allocation, scheduling and travel arrangements," Vaughan said.

"This is an excellent solution that means we're able to offer the incoming Indian players appropriate preparation in first-class conditions - and at the same time give our domestic sides an incredible opportunity to play alongside some of the great names in international Test cricket. For some of our young players especially, the chance to spend four days on the park and in the dressing room with players of the calibre of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid is priceless."

India's coach Gary Kirsten felt NZC's gesture to accommodate the players set a good example for other boards.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, NZC has agreed to 6 Indian players playing in NZ domestic games"



SG, I think you misunderstood, well, everything.

No one has an objection to Indian players playing in NZ.

Sensible people were objecting to the BCCI insisting that the NZ players who are involved in the ICL be dropped for those matches.

Fortunately, the NZCPA won, and no ICL players will be dropped.

Fair enough, OP.

But honestly, it is getting ridiculous.

Apartheid was abolished in RSA, caste discrimination was made illegal in India, yet there is this new caste of players that people with BCCI contracts can't mix with... The ICLs are the new kaffirs or dalits.

it is getting ridiculous.

Indeed.

BCCI's and especially Modi's approach to the whole ICL is incredibly childish.

There is no problem with IPL and ICL being competitors but the whole banning of ICL players from playing for their country etc etc is bull sh*t.

good reply by NZCPA!

i have been speaking up against this nonsense for a LONG time.

OP Tipping wrote:Sensible people were objecting to the BCCI insisting that the NZ players who are involved in the ICL be dropped for those matches.

Fortunately, the NZCPA won, and no ICL players will be dropped.

everyone worked to avoid a loss of ego for the other. the players have been accomodated in matches so that they dont play with or against icl players

It would have been great if every doemstic KIWI side had an ICL player. Then BCCI would have been screwed enough to eat humble pie as they would either have allowed Indian test players match practice as scheduled or none of them would have played to satisfy BCCI's ego. It would have resulted with an egg on the face either way.

OP Tipping wrote:"Sorry to disappoint you guys, NZC has agreed to 6 Indian players playing in NZ domestic games"



SG, I think you misunderstood, well, everything.

No one has an objection to Indian players playing in NZ.

Sensible people were objecting to the BCCI insisting that the NZ players who are involved in the ICL be dropped for those matches.

Fortunately, the NZCPA won, and no ICL players will be dropped.

OP, I think you have misundertood the entire thing. It was NZ cricket board which had promised BCCI to let its six players, playing exclusively in tests, have practice in the domestic cricket matches so that BCCI could agree to add another test in the itinerary instead of a practice match and another T20 too.

BCCI never asked any of the NZ side to drop any of the ICL players. Instead, they prohibited their own players from playing for a side which had ICL players in it Example:

Tendulkar, Karthik Withdrawn from Practice Match [url]

Also:

[url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/2009/03/02/1245a3520259]Justin Vaughan says games for Indian players an obligation

So BCCI doesn't care whether Indian players get practice or not, whether they win or lose. All it cares is stick to whatever its stand is, whether it is to make more money or to obliterate ICL.

It will never waste its time telling NZ state teams to remove this player or that player. That is NZC board's job!