Cricket: Trio opt out of trophy defence

By RICHARD BOOCK

The chances of New Zealand successfully defending their only international trophy took another dive yesterday after news that three players, including senior batsman Craig McMillan, had made themselves unavailable for the one-day side.

Already without influential individuals such as Chris Cairns and Andre Adams, the 14-strong New Zealand squad will also be missing McMillan, batsman Matt Horne and leg-spinner Brooke Walker at next month's Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka - the competition they won in Nairobi two years ago.

All three apparently signalled their unavailability to New Zealand Cricket on Friday, citing on-going trauma from the suicide bombing in Karachi this year and fears for their safety in Sri Lanka.

Walker may not have been in line for a recall in any case, but McMillan was a certainty for selection and Horne was a likely inclusion, despite not having played a game on the tour of the West Indies.

The withdrawal of the two batsmen led to new opportunities for Mathew Sinclair and Glen Sulzberger, both of whom were recalled after being dropped at different times this year.

The only unforced change made by Sir Richard Hadlee's panel was the decision to bring back Auckland swing-bowler Kyle Mills at the expense of young fast-bowler Ian Butler, who has struggled to make an impression in his nine ODIs so far.

However, by far the biggest news of the day was the withdrawal of Horne and McMillan on compassionate grounds, particularly since the former was just starting to resurrect his ODI career and the latter was the New Zealand vice-captain.

Hadlee and chief executive Martin Snedden made a point of emphasising that all players had been given the opportunity to decide on their availability, in the knowledge that they would not be disadvantaged by their decision.

"I appreciate that the events in Pakistan were traumatic," Snedden said. "It was made clear that players who decided not to attend would not be penalised in any way by NZC."

Hadlee added that there was no way the decisions would be held against them for future selection.

For all that, the unavailabilities could hardly have come at a more ironic time because a rare peace accord continues in Sri Lanka after 19 years of conflict between Government forces and Tamil freedom fighters.

A permanent ceasefire brokered on February 23 has so far proved successful and the parties hope to begin peace talks as early as next month.

The decision by McMillan, Horne and Co also coincided with the biggest sporting event to be hosted by Sri Lanka, the 14th Asian athletic championships, which attracted more than 650 competitors from 36 different countries.

As if to highlight the new era of hope and tolerance, 1958 medallist Nagalingam Ethiriveerasingham and Sri Lankan team captain Susanthika Jayasingha, a Sinhalese and a Tamil, lit the flame signalling the opening of the Games.

McMillan said yesterday that he had based his decision on the fact that he was mentally unprepared to tour Sri Lanka after the experience in Pakistan, when the side were lucky to escape the suicide bombing without serious harm.

"At the end of the day it's sport and there are more important things to life than just sport, and that's what it comes down to."

A thorough on-site assessment of potential risks was made by New Zealand team manager Jeff Crowe and security adviser Reg Dickason, who spoke to United States, British and Australian Embassy officials in Colombo on security.

Although the situation in Sri Lanka has settled down this year, the past couple of decades have seen a brutal conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam, with New Zealand touring sides often caught up in the conflict.

In 1987, a huge bomb exploded at Colombo's main bus station on the final day of the first test, killing 100 people and prompting the New Zealand side to abort the tour.

Then, in 1992, five members of the side, as well as coach Warren Lees, returned home after a suicide bomber detonated himself outside the team hotel, killing Sri Lanka's Admiral Clancy Fernando and four other people.

In 1996 the Australians refused to play their World Cup games in Sri Lanka and, as recently as last year, when the New Zealanders were involved in a one-day tournament, a Tamil raid hit Colombo's airport.

In Colombo, Sri Lankan officials said they were surprised the three New Zealanders had cited safety concerns for opting out of the 12-nation tournament.

"Sri Lanka is very safe and there is nothing to worry about," said Anura Tennakoon, chief executive officer of the country's cricket board.

"We would like to tell the participants that now we have a very good security situation."

New Zealand team: Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Paul Hitchcock, Kyle Mills, Chris Nevin, Jacob Oram, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Glen Sulzberger, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori and Lou Vincent.