KEY POINTS:
You do the math: no matter how hard you squeeze it, 111 into 16 just won't go.
So the players to go under the hammer in Friday's second Indian Premier League (IPL) auction better be prepared for the fact they will most likely be passed in.
New Zealand have nine players up for auction but few will be picked up.
"We believe Jesse Ryder is fairly well advanced," said New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan of the big-hitting opener's chances of a contract.
The others? "You'd like to think Tim Southee would have a good chance, also."
But for Mark Gillespie, James Franklin, Jeetan Patel, Peter Fulton, Chris Martin, Jamie How and even the well-performed Kyle Mills, the news is not likely to be as positive.
All bar Gillespie signed retainers of between US$50-100,000 last year so will receive some payment but that is relatively small beer compared to the $1 million-plus contracts the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff can expect.
"Not everything will necessarily happen on auction day," Vaughan said. "If you are passed in you can still make deals if places open up."
In truth, there will not be many vacancies. The IPL increased its overseas player quotient from eight per franchise to 10, and the salary cap by US$2m. So that is essentially 16 more vacancies (two of which have been reportedly filled by Australian players Moises Henriques and Luke Ronchi).
Some players have changed their status, opening further holes. Former New Zealand captain turned agent Stephen Fleming is classified as a coach, as is Shaun Pollock.
Looking at the list, England seems best placed to fill the spots with Pietersen, Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Ryan Sidebottom, Luke Wright and James Anderson in the mix. Monty Panesar, despite his dubious claims as a T20 player, would be a great marketing tool. Australians Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin are gimmes too, squeezing possible places for the Kiwis even further.
It is Fleming's team, the Chennai Super Kings, that NZC will be hoping bids highest for Ryder.
As Ryder battles binge-drinking, the NZC set-up feel it is important he has familiar faces around in support.
Chennai would offer that in the shape of Jacob Oram (if fit). The big allrounder took Ryder under his wing in Bangladesh and he responded well.
There is still some confusion over the terms of the second auction. Vaughan told the Herald on Sunday his understanding was that no deals with overseas players could be done before the second auction, yet Ronchi and Henriques have contracts for the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively.
Indeed, looking at the list New Zealand bosses can feel hard done by. There is a smorgasbord of lesser-performed Bangladeshis - the result of half their team defecting to the rebel Indian Cricket League last year - and a ridiculous number of second-tier Australians and Sri Lankans. Travis Birt or Jeevantha Kulatunga, anyone?
You only need look across the Tasman recently to see that Australia's cricket riches are not limitless.
LIST OF PLAYERS FOR SECOND AUCTION
Australia
Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Nathan Hauritz, Stuart Clark, Brad Hogg, Beau Casson, Mark Cameron, Peter Forrest, Lee Carseldine, Doug Bollinger, Michael Dighton, Jason Krejza, Nathan Reardon, Chris Hartley, Shaun Tait, Ashley Noffke, Bryce McGain, George Bailey, Travis Birt, Michael Hill, Chris Swan, Michael Klinger, Ben Edmondson, Aiden Blizzard, Mark Cosgrove, Adam Voges, Shane Harwood.
England
Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Ravi Bopara, Monty Panesar, Robert Key, James Foster, Sajid Mahmood, Matt Prior, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Darren Gough, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright, James Anderson, Ed Joyce, Dominic Cork.
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Mehrab Hossain jnr, Rajin Saleh, Ziaur Rehman, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Raqibul Hasan, Nadif Chowdhury.
New Zealand
Mark Gillespie, Tim Southee, Jesse Ryder, Jeetan Patel, Kyle Mills, Chris Martin, Jamie How, Peter Fulton, James Franklin.
Pakistan
Asim Kamal, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Danish Kaneria, Yasir Arafat.
South Africa
Gulam Bodi, Rory Kleinveldt, Charl Langeveldt, Ashwell Prince, JP Duminy, Martin van Jaarsveld, Roelof van der Merwe, Andre Nel, Neil McKenzie, Yusuf Abdullah, Paul Harris, JohanBotha, Morne van Wyk, Tyron Henderson.
Sri Lanka
Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Mahela Udawatte, Dammika Prasad, Thilina Kandamby, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Jehan Mubarak, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Malinga Bandara, Malinda Warnapura, Michael Vandort, Prasanna Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Jeevantha Kulatunga.
West Indies
Sylvester Joseph, Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Fidel Edwards, Dwayne Smith, Kemar Roach.
Zimbabwe
Vusi Sibanda.
