KEY POINTS:
Lou Vincent flew to India yesterday with a flea in each ear - one from New Zealand Cricket, the other from his own players' association.
But New Zealand Cricket Players Association manager Heath Mills last night maintained Vincent's days in the national side are not necessarily over.
In accepting a deal with the rebel Indian Cricket League, Vincent broke his NZC contract, which was torn up. The balance will be given to another, as yet unnamed player.
But Mills, while having no time for Vincent's actions in breaching his contract and not discussing it with NZC, believes the batsman could be back in black in a couple of years.
"At the moment Lou is going through pretty tough times from a personal perspective," Mills said. "He had indicated to NZC that he wanted to step out of the international environment for 12 to 18 months and NZC knew he wouldn't have taken a contract this year.
"But he mentioned to me he's eyeing the next World Cup [in Asia in 2011]. He'd love to come back and contribute to that."
Vincent, 29, is joining the Chandigarh franchise, captained by former team-mate Chris Cairns and who were beaten finalists in the inaugural ICL late last year. Mills confirmed Vincent had been admonished for his contractual breach by the players' association but said there was a need to move on. "It's vital players and board don't damage relations so we can't at some stage work again in the future," he said. "Cricket's going through tough times, it's a difficult environment for a lot of people."
And Mills had a slap at the England Cricket Board for its insistence that overseas players linked with the ICL should get a No Objection Certificate from their home boards to be able to fulfil county contracts.
Former New Zealand star Shane Bond is contracted to Hampshire this season, but the ECB - in a move to stay in good odour with the powerful Indian board, paymasters for the officially sanctioned Indian Premier League but who spit tacks at the mention of the ICL - say that won't proceed without the release.
NZC were bemused at the request because they have no jurisdiction over where Bond plays as he is no longer contracted to them.
Several Pakistani players are likely to have county contracts revoked as their board has refused to release them.
"In their haste to do the right thing by India, they've obviously failed to recognise these players have contracts in place with counties," Mills said. "There's no mention of an NOC in those contracts or anything like it."
