How galling for New Zealand's coach, John Bracewell, as England's Twenty20 performances highlighted the gulf in talent between the two teams, that the best pace bowler on either side, Shane Bond, should be considering penning an English county contract instead of pinning English batsmen to the crease.It is unlikely that Bond's presence alone would have bridged such a chasm of class during the first week of the tour, but New Zealand, with its tiny population and even smaller pool of good cricketers, can ill afford to lose such talent.
Having signed up for the Indian Cricket League, New Zealand decided that Bond could serve one master only, and, after months of protracted negotiations, they terminated his contract. Bond, now, will see out his days playing in a cricketing circus in northern India for part of the year, and domestically in New Zealand and England for the rest. Financially he will be better off; international cricket is the poorer. Quick bowlers are a rare commodity.
Bond himself has had no complaint publicly with New Zealand Cricket's decision, only with the subsequent public perception that somehow he has let down his country, that he has put money before honour. Last week he had this to say: "Some people are always going to think that you're a traitor and I can live with that.
"I find it strange, though, that in any other job people accept that you try to improve your circumstances and get in a better position for your family but it's almost like you're not supposed to do that in sport."
My sympathies lie with the player. Bond has, on a number of previous occasions, turned down lucrative offers to get in the best possible shape to play for New Zealand.
After an injury-plagued career, during which he has missed twice as many matches as he has played, he has probably come to the conclusion that his time as an international is limited and rather than return to the beat empty-handed (Bond was a policeman before) it was time to put the interests of his family first.
Moreover, he has acted honourably, upholding a contract he had signed in good faith. Compare his behaviour with that of the Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf. Yousuf turned his back on Pakistan and signed initially with the ICL; realised then that he had goofed because the Indian Premier League came along and offered more money; professed his love of his country as he tore up his ICL contract, before signing for the IPL. Only one of these players has been banned from playing for their country, but only one has acted with any honour.
My sympathies with Bond, though, extend beyond any empathy with his family's requirements. Ultimately, his dispute with New Zealand cricket is not so much about contractual obligations as the complete failure of New Zealand Cricket, and other countries, to stand up to the power and financial clout of Indian cricket.
When Bond signed with the ICL initially he went to New Zealand Cricket to ascertain whether he would be allowed to play in the ICL when international duties permitted. My understanding is that his employers were happy for him to do so, something they confirmed verbally and in writing. This was, of course, before the IPL emerged. Subsequently, the Indian board persuaded the governing bodies of world cricket to sanction the IPL as the 'official' Twenty20 competition as a way of putting the skids under the ICL.
Nobody is prepared to upset India for fear of losing out on valuable television revenues; the ICL, therefore, quickly accrued pariah status. It is not Bond who has back-tracked but his employers.
England have been just as craven as New Zealand. This week Geoff Miller, out here in his guise as England's new national selector, was asked whether his selection panel would consider those England cricketers - Darren Maddy, Vikram Solanki, Paul Nixon and Chris Read - who have signed for the ICL.
Miller was careful not to say that any official position had been taken - to do so would invite legal action - but reading between the lines it is clear that the 'ICL four' have rebel status. Implicit in Miller's remarks was a threat to any other English player considering his options.
Practically, a problem is unlikely to arise as Miller, James Whitaker and Ashley Giles sit down with Peter Moores and his captains to select England's summer teams. Those ICL players who have signed up have either had their time or are, at best, fringe alternatives. Following the successes of England's one-day team in the first week of this New Zealand tour, and the progress of Messrs Mustard and Wright, the chances of a recall receded even further.
Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
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