Cricket: Early World Cup deadline a disadvantage says Snedden

New Zealand officials are disappointed that their World Cup squad must be named before the end of the one-day series against India.

The ICC yesterday announced that all 14 cup squads for the tournament in South Africa in February and March must be named by December 31.

The New Zealanders will have played only two of seven one-day internationals against India by then.

Chief executive Martin Snedden is not happy.

"Obviously, the selectors would have liked the opportunity to see as much one-day cricket as possible before selecting the 15-man squad," he said.

The selectors will also have little opportunity to see one-day performances from provincial players because the domestic State Shield competition begins on December 28, with five rounds to be played until January 7.

"I asked the ICC for an extension to the end of the series against India, but that request was refused," Snedden said.

He was now exploring with the ICC the possibility of announcing the squad on the evening of January 2, given the time difference between New Zealand and ICC headquarters in England and that January 1 is a public holiday.

"This would give the selectors an opportunity to view player performances in three one-dayers against India and three rounds of the State Shield," he said.

In London, the ICC said that once the squads had been named, should any player need to be replaced through injury, written permission would be required from the competition's technical committee.

The committee comprises senior ICC representatives and the tournament director of the cup. A panel of three doctors approved by the ICC would examine the player.

If they agreed he was unfit to play a useful part in any match during the rest of the event, the team might - with the written approval of the event technical committee - replace the player.

The cup will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya from February 9 to March 23.

- NZPA