KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Cricket's decision on the Indian question is expected next week.
Five players who have signed contracts with the Indian Premier League (IPL) will find out whether they have been given a dispensation to join the tour to England late or if they have been ordered to arrive with the group for the April 27 start.
The five, Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor, have been hired by franchises for the Twenty20 competition but it cuts right across the England tour. Talks between NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan and the entire New Zealand squad were held last Tuesday.
"We really canvassed not only individuals but the team's collective view in terms of what they think is the right think to do in this situation," Vaughan said yesterday.
He will collate opinions and discuss the best solution with the NZC board in the next few days before announcing their decision.
Vaughan does not want the decision to interfere with preparations for the third test against England, starting in Napier next Saturday. But time is not on their side, with the New Zealand tour group expected to be named about April 10, ahead of a pre-tour camp in Christchurch.
Among issues high on the priority list will be how much preparatory time the five players need before the first test at Lord's starting on May 15.
And Vaughan expressed concern at whether the Champions Trophy will be staged in Pakistan in September as planned. Australia's withdrawal this week from their scheduled tour to Pakistan, in the wake of fears over security, does not help. News of bombs exploding in Lahore, which has long been regarded as the safest city in the country only sharpens the issue.
"Australian advice was very strong ... that there was a very high risk," Vaughan said.
"We all sympathise with what the Pakistan Cricket Board is going through. It is difficult."
The ICC is carrying out an independent security review which will be assessed at its June board meeting. Sri Lanka is on standby to host the trophy and a decision is expected to be made at that time.
New Zealand have been grouped with South Africa, Sri Lanka and England in group B for the trophy. Groups were based on seedings, which were done on their March 12 ODI rankings.
New Zealand are seeded third, behind defending champions Australia and South Africa. Group A comprises Australia, India, Pakistan and the West Indies.
The trophy is only for the world's eight top-ranked teams as of six months before the event, so that's bad news for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
