Crucket

The ICL are doing their best to put on a brave face – “This is not a setback” – but the news that 50 ICL players have been granted a release from their contract indicates that the league is in for a radical shake-up. 50 players out of a total of 155, likely including the best talent, won’t even leave enough for a 12-man squad for each of the nine teams. Chances are they’ll collapse in the very near future, but even if they don’t, gone will be any pretense they are an alternative to the IPL.

They could still yet gain official recognition of some sort from the ICC, in which case they could perhaps function as a development/retirement league for players yet to break into the IPL/Ranji Trophy or those coming to the end of their career. But whatever happens, a greater distinction between the ICL and IPL will be great for cricket. Free from the attraction of the ICL, we should then get to see the best cricketers in the world available for internationals and maybe the IPL.

And I am talking of course about Shane Bond, reportedly one of the players to leave the ICL. It was a decision he had to make really. His main claimed reason for why he stuck with the ICL was because he was under contract with them, so when they offered to release him from his contract ealier this year, he would have had to think of another reason to stay stuck with them. And the main reason for staying, the $800,000/year salary, would have become less compelling the longer the ICL was in arrears paying it.

We’d have to say now that it is likely that Shane Bond will be back in the New Zealand team before too long. (Maybe in time for the home series against Pakistan?) Perhaps even back in the test team, despite him having retired from that form of the game. (It would be a weird twist if the ICL had revived Bond’s test career.) The way is clear for him to return, he has softened his stance on not representing New Zealand again and his form appears to be as good as ever.

Now I’m one of the seemingly small minority in New Zealand that thinks that Bond brought his exile on himself. However, I wouldn’t go as far as Richard Boock, who suggests that Bond shoulnd’t be welcomed back into team. I think everyone would be better off if we let bygones be bygones and try to put the unpleasantness of the last year and half behind us.