Ross Taylor. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New Zealand Cricket and Central Districts are about to receive an unwanted windfall.
Royal Challengers Bangalore have indicated they will exercise their right to select Ross Taylor in their 15-man Champions League squad.
That will see them pay a US$200,000 ($276,000) transfer fee to NZC, to be divided up among
the six major associations. Central Districts will receive the major share of the kitty, being the team that "supplies" Taylor to Bangalore.
Taylor's manager Leanne McGoldrick said they were working through a process with the organisers of the Champions League, which they hoped to have wrapped up today.
It's a slightly complicated scenario where the Indian Premier League contracts dictate that IPL franchises have first right of refusal over their contracted players, but they must "buy" them off their home team. Taylor also qualified for the Champions League through his short-term deal with Victoria.
Victoria have not named him in their initial squad of 20 because they know they won't have access to him, whereas protocol means both Central Districts and Bangalore will.
While the money is welcome and it's flattering that Bangalore rate one of the country's best players so highly, it's not an ideal scenario for cricket bosses.
The Champions League is an invitation tournament. No New Zealand team was invited to the 2008 tournament, cancelled after the terrorist attacks on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.
Otago played in the inaugural tournament last year, but were twice beaten convincingly. There is some anxiety that Central Districts must acquit themselves well to guarantee further participation for New Zealand teams in the cash-rich tournament.
Having Taylor, one of the most destructive short-format batsmen in the game, would be a huge boost to CD.
They will have Jacob Oram, at least, who will not be picked up by Chennai. The big all-rounder was ruled out of IPL III with injury and missed the Stephen Fleming-coached side's march to victory.
The Champions League sees the best teams from the domestic T20 leagues meet in a 10-team, two-week tournament, to be held in South Africa this year.
New South Wales, winners of the inaugural 2009 tournament in India, received prizemoney of US$2.5 million.
