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A potential clash with the tour of Bangladesh may prevent New Zealand cricket allrounder Jacob Oram cashing in on the multimillion-dollar Champions League Twenty20 tournament which was confirmed yesterday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced an eight-team league to be played in either the Middle East or India in late September-early October, involving the top two sides from the India, South Africa, Australia and England competitions.
The statement said the 15-match tournament spread over 10 days would be worth US$5 million ($6.52 million) to the winner, adding there would be "significant sums for the teams finishing second, third and fourth".
Oram missed the latter part of the just-completed Indian Premier League (IPL) because of England tour commitments, but his team the Chennai Super Kings were eventual beaten finalists, thereby qualifying them for the Champions League.
The problem for Oram is New Zealand's scheduled tour of Bangladesh, including two tests and three one-day internationals, is due to take place about the same time as the Champions League, although no dates have been confirmed.
Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is also part of the Super Kings, but whether any other Kiwis can be signed for Champions League sides is unclear.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has ruled test and one-day international cricket takes precedence over Twenty20 tournaments.
New Zealand vice-captain Brendon McCullum, who made a huge impression for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL before departing for England, welcomed the new tournament.
"It sounds like a pretty good idea to me. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but if you get any sort of tournament with the profile, income and fan base they're managing to generate, it's got to be good for the game.
"It'd be great to have a Champions League like football does and have that hype around it."
New Zealand Cricket remains hopeful of having two sides in Australia's Twenty20 competition after transtasman discussions last year, although nothing has been confirmed for the coming season.
- NZPA
