KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's cricketers will be given an opportunity to miss the proposed tour to Pakistan without any impact on their contractual status, or implications for future selection.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced recently that, pending favourable security reports, the team would play three one-day internationals in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy there in September.
However, the Herald on Sunday understands some senior players are uncomfortable with this, particularly in light of Australia pulling out of their tour there recently.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said while he could understand the players were edgy, he would expect them to tour the country - if security reports commissioned by the International Cricket Council and NZC were favourable.
He did say, though, that if some players were uncomfortable about going, then the national body would be sympathetic to that and they would not face sanctions.
"The onus is on New Zealand Cricket to do everything we can in terms of providing the players with all the levels of information they need before we go down the route of discussing players missing the tour."
New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker said that while it has been the subject of some "chatter", nobody had been strident in their opposition.
"It's been an occasional discussion point but nobody has yet come to me with an official or firm request not to tour," said Crocker.
However, Crocker confirmed that a scenario where the players would be unhappy had been envisaged, especially after the 2002 tour there was ended prematurely when a bomb exploded near the team hotel in Karachi, killing 12 and injuring 34. The bomb caused widespread damage at the hotel and the team left the country as soon as possible.
"It's something I cleared with Justin [Vaughan] some time ago because, having been around for a little while, I knew this was possible. My second tour was to Pakistan in 2003 and it was made clear at the time that players who did not wish to participate in the tour would be given the opportunity to opt out if they wished without penalty to their contract or any future selection possibilities."
New Zealand sent a one-day team to Pakistan that year minus Stephen Fleming, Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Scott Styris and Nathan Astle which was thrashed 5-0 in the series. Chris Cairns captained a side that included novices such as Craig Cumming, Hamish Marshall, Michael Mason, Tama Canning and Matthew Walker.
There was some criticism of the players who stayed behind for leaving the team so shorn of experience.
Crocker said he had discussed the situation with Vaughan, knowing the issue of availability was sure to be raised again, and Vaughan had taken it to his board.
"The players would be given the opportunity, if they so wished, of making themselves unavailable with no impact on their contractual status.
"There is a professional impact, of course, in that they run the risk of the player taking their place doing well and retaining it. But their contract and their contract monies would not be affected and they would not be in breach of their contract in any way."
Crocker said the team to tour Pakistan would be named in early August and players would need to make their positions clear within a month.
