Auckland haven't given up hope of getting a big-name overseas player for the final part of their Twenty20 programme, but the chances are rapidly receding.
The province had tried to lure just-retired Australian opener Matthew Hayden across but the timing didn't work out for both parties.
South Africanopener Herschelle Gibbs was another they negotiated with, but Gibbs' team the Cape Cobras are in the semifinals of their domestic Twenty20 competition. The first leg against the Dolphins was overnight, the second is tomorrow night and the third leg if needed is on Wednesday night.
If they make the final, which is on February 20, it would close the door on any chance of him making the journey to Auckland, whose round robin ends at home to Otago on February 22.
There are a couple of possibilities left.
Another Australian player was interested but his team have an important 50-over game a couple of days after his projected stopover in Auckland and his state are concerned about the risk of injury.
And the Indian option is still faintly alive.
India arrive for their lengthy tour of New Zealand on February 20, with their first game in Christchurch on February 25.
Negotiating with the Indian board is a complicated process. Auckland are hoping a player might be released for a couple of days once they arrive in New Zealand.
Auckland's view is that if they needed to win that final game to make the final on March 1, getting an overseas international would help on the field and could bolster the gate as well.
"We're still looking at the possibility," Auckland Cricket chief executive Andrew Eade said, while conceding "we seem to be reaching a point of no return".
There has been one interesting side development out of the search for a top name on a short-term basis.
"What we've found is a significant level of interest from the players and it's been a really good learning curve for next year."
