KEY POINTS:
Three has become five, and New Zealand Cricket's headache about what to do with about one-third of their team to tour England has grown accordingly.
The signing of test pair Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills to franchises in the Indian Premier League takes to seven the number of New Zealand players on contracts for the first Twenty20 competition next month. However, Stephen Fleming and Scott Styris will have retired from test cricket by then.
Captain Daniel Vettori, wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum and allrounder Jacob Oram had been hired and are expected to be given a late pass to start New Zealand's tour of England, which begins nine days after the IPL starts on April 27.
Now five players are in that boat. But anyone thinking it's a bad look for New Zealand to arrive at Heathrow minus one-third of their squad, got short shrift from Vettori yesterday.
"I'm not really worried about what it looks like," he said. "It's how it affects the team dynamic and I know it would be a huge opportunity for some young guys to get simulated in a New Zealand side."
NZC will have to name a handful of players to fill in in at least the first two tour games if all five are given a release for the early rounds of the IPL.
But Vettori is standing by belief that missing the first couple of games is no big deal, as England is the only tour which affords teams several leadup matches to the internationals.
New Zealand start with a one-day game against the MCC at Arundel Castle before three-dayers against Kent, Essex and England A. The likelihood is the IPL-contracted players will arrive in time for the Essex match starting on May 2.
Vettori said the players would abide by whatever decision NZC make.
"They've asked us our view and the team's view, and the team is pretty comfortable either way. Even the junior guys are comfortable if the (IPL) guys turn up late. But they are equally as happy if we all turn up together."
Mills was signed by the Mohali franchise for US$175,000, Taylor will join Bangalore for US$100,000.
Mills is delighted at the prospect of teaming up with players like Australian speedster Brett Lee and Sri Lankan batting star Kumar Sangakkara. "I just think it's going to be an awesome competition, a massive learning curve in my cricket education," he said.
IPL KIWIS
* Daniel Vettori
* Stephen Fleming
* Scott Stryis
* Brendon McCullum
* Jacob Oram
* Ross Taylor
* Kyle Mills
