Cricket: Bond breaks $1 million IPL cap

Shane Bond. Photo / Getty Images

Shane Bond's wife Tracey went out for a run, but New Zealand's best fast bowler wasn't alone as he watched his value soar off the radar at the third Indian Premier League auction in Mumbai last night.

Bond had his parents-in-law for company as he saw himself being bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise for an undisclosed amount in excess of the total franchise ceiling of US$750,000 ($1.01 million) for one season.

The 34-year-old is perfectly placed to cash in somewhere near his maximum value when the IPL begins on March 12, having retired late last year from test cricket.

New Zealand's test players in the IPL will be committed to a two-test series against Australia, starting on March 19.

Players are paid on a pro-rata basis and Bond, who will have New Zealand ODI commitments until March 13, believes he will miss the first two games.

"It was surreal, and because it happens so fast it's easy to get excited," Bond said last night. "It was amazing to watch. Brilliant."

Bond was not the first player to break the franchise cap on his own last night. West Indian allrounder Kieron Pollard also smashed through the US$750,000 mark, courtesy of the Mumbai Indians.

West Indian speedster Kemar Roach went to Deccan for US$720,000 while young South African left arm bowler Wayne Parnell was snaffled for US$610,000 by New Zealand captain Dan Vettori's Delhi Daredevils.

Bond had "heard a couple of whisperings" that there was strong interest in his talents.

"Butit's just an unknown. You never knew what was going to happen and when you knew you were up it was weird. You were just hoping people would bid for you and I got the best possible result," he said.

Bond joins New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum at Kolkata.

"We know about his injuries but he is not going to play test cricket and we understand he is in good shape," Jai Mehta, co-owner of the Kolkata franchise, said.

The other three New Zealanders in the auction - Grant Elliott on a base price of US$100,000 and Nathan McCullum and Lou Vincent on US$50,000 each - were passed over.

Those in the final year of their deals are Vettori, McCullum, Jacob Oram (Chennai), Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder (Royal Bangalore Challengers) and Scott Styris (Deccan).