KEY POINTS:
National Bank is trying to end its association with New Zealand Cricket, despite being tied into a sponsorship deal through to 2011.
The Australian-owned bank has been told to cut costs across a range of divisions and has made it clear that if anyone wants to pick up the association with the national summer sport, they would be happy to sell.
The National Bank was tied to the deal while New Zealand cricket supporter Sir John Anderson was chief executive. He retired last year.
Gavin Larsen was in a liaison role between the bank and the national body but he has recently left to be chief executive of Wellington Cricket.
While it is understood the bank will honour its contract if nobody is interested, there are companies with a reach into the lucrative Asian market considering taking over the deal.
That could be a win-win for both the bank and NZC, who recently discovered the value of the Indian market when signing a mega-dollar deal with Sony to broadcast matches hosted here into the world's second-most populous country.
NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan would only say: "National Bank was a great supporter of cricket in the country and we are pleased to be associated with them."
