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New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is considering its stance on the Indian-based rebel Twenty20 league, as backers continue to be linked with past and current Black Caps.
Chris Harris, Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns have reportedly been approached to join the multi-million dollar competition, which features teams comprised of former internationals and local Indian players.
New Zealand test captain Stephen Fleming and strike bowler Shane Bond are also sought after for the league, planned to launch on October.
If the pair do sign on it is likely their NZC contracts will be terminated, though NZC will not formally announce their stance on the venture until next week.
NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said he had spoken to Fleming, who is playing on the English county circuit, urging him not to join.
"I just said to him this is not in the best interest of New Zealand Cricket," Vaughan told The Dominion Post newspaper.
"I've spoken more as a friend, as a friend who happens to be the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket."
Fleming's future has been under speculation since he relinquished captaincy of the one-day team after the Black Caps' World Cup exit in the Caribbean.
He was then omitted from the Twenty20 squad for next month's World Cup in South Africa.
Astle and Cairns are no longer contracted to NZC, while Harris faces a ban from domestic cricket as he is no longer in the frame for the Black Caps.
Vaughan said the NZC board was deciding how to deal with the series, which threatened to lure top class players with lucrative short-term contracts.
"We need to come up with a concrete policy on how to approach this.
"Obviously it is an unsanctioned and unofficial tournament so that is fully clear, but we need to have a policy to work with."
The only way the series will go ahead as a sanctioned tournament is if the International Cricket Council (ICC) allows another entity - India's largest media group - to run the competition.
Vaughan said his view was the rebel series was not good for NZC but he also admitted that the ICC's position would ultimately determine which direction it took.
"You would have to say it is in the best interests of New Zealand to be a strong member of the ICC family because out of that relationship we derive significant amounts of our income.
"So to disassociate ourselves from the ICC would not be a sensible move."
- NZPA
