Cricket: IPL Kiwis do little for our reputation

Jesse Ryder. Photo / AP

As the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League heads towards its playoffs, New Zealand's contingent of players have been conspicuous by their lack of impact on the season.

And that poor collective output could have a negative effect in more ways than one.

Seven New Zealand players are contracted to IPL franchises this season - but only Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder and James Franklin have made much of a mark. Even their returns have been less than they'd have liked.

One of the seven, allrounder Scott Styris at the defending champion Chennai Super Kings, has not been sighted on the park.

Former national captain Dan Vettori even stepped aside from the Royal Challengers Bangalore side he leads after a run of average returns and the need to get veteran Sri Lankan twirler Muttiah Muralitharan into the side.

The man who replaced him as New Zealand captain, Ross Taylor, who returned surprisingly early after having his wrist broken by his Delhi Daredevils teammate Morne Morkel in the third test against South Africa in Wellington at the end of March, has struggled badly.

That raises the issue of whether he returned to action too soon. His first game for Delhi was on April 16, 21 days after the break. Taylor, on a million-dollar deal at Delhi, has scored just 107 runs in nine innings at 15.28, and a relatively poor strike rate of 86.

Ryder has been the leading scorer among the New Zealand players, with 234 at 26.0 in 10 innings; and McCullum has rattled up 216 runs at 24.0 from nine innings.

James Franklin's 207 runs have come from 10 innings at 25.87, and he's taken five wickets at 20.6 from 13 overs.

Vettori has scored 31 runs in six innings and taken five for 235 at 47 runs apiece, with an economy rate of 6.71.

His decision to stand aside was hailed by Bangalore's bowling coach, former international Venkatesh Prasad, as "magnanimous".

"Stepping aside as a player is understandable but doing it as a captain is incredible," he said.

Bangalore won their next three games after Vettori stood down following a loss on May 2. In that time Muralitharan took five for 56 from 12 overs, helping to lift Bangalore intothe playoff frame.

Seamer Doug Bracewell has had just one game for Delhi, taking three for 32 and scoring 12.

The spinoff is obvious. When franchises are planning their squads for next season, how highly will they rate New Zealand's leading players?

That, in turn, can diminish New Zealand's standing, while New Zealand Cricket, which receives a 10 per cent payout of every New Zealand player's contract price, also misses out financially.

By contrast, the top four run-getters in the IPL have scored over 500 runs, with West Indian Chris Gayle topping the charts with 578 runs at 52.54 for Bangalore, at a robust strike rate of 150.52.

Morkel, with 21 wickets at just 18.8, and Sri Lankan slinger Lasith Malinga, 20 at 12.25, are the leading wicket takers in the competition.

Before last night's games, Delhi were the only team to have qualified for the playoffs, top of the ladder on 20 points, with Mumbai Indians on 18. A dogfight is in prospect for the other three semifinal spots. Only Pune, on eight, and bottom side Deccan on five, are out of the frame.

Playoffs start on Wednesday (NZT).