Canterbury cricket coach Garry MacDonald is resigned to losing the services of Stephen Fleming to Wellington.
MacDonald said there was a sense of inevitability about the New Zealand captain's switch, although he had not been privy to any such discussions.
Fleming, who has played for Canterbury since 1991-92, has been living inWellington with his partner, Kelly Payne, since the end of last season.
MacDonald said that when he last spoke to Fleming some weeks ago, the issue of where he played his future first-class cricket was not a high priority.
However, Fleming reiterated yesterday that he wanted the matter settled before he led the Black Caps to Singapore for a tri-series beginning on August 20.
New Zealand will depart up to a week before that to fit in two warm-up matches. They will probably be played in Townsville, Queensland.
"It is Flem's business - if he goes, he goes with our blessing," MacDonald said.
"I haven't given up hope of him staying with us, but it is looking likely he'll go.
"Still, he'll always be a red-and-black man if he does - he's only going for lifestyle reasons."
MacDonald said that if any provincial team in New Zealand could afford to lose a player of Fleming's calibre, it was Canterbury.
However, his input with the younger players would be missed.
If Fleming signs with Wellington he can be expected to play four rounds of the Shell Cup in December.
Fleming said he could add nothing to the discussion on his future until his manager, David Howman, sat down with Cricket Wellington chief executive Ervin McSweeney.
