Cricket: ND will wait for latecomer Dilshan

Northern Districts will not be pursuing another overseas player to fill the gap left by Sri Lankan star Tillekaratne Dilshan for the domestic Twenty20 championship.

The electric Dilshan had been due to join ND for the start of the HRV Cup, starting against Auckland on January 2 at Mt Maunganui.

However, he has been required for a hastily-arranged tri-series involving Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India and now won't get to New Zealand until at least January 15. By that time he is likely to have missed at least six of ND's 10 round robin games.

However, coach Grant Bradburn confirmed yesterday that ND would not be seeking a short-term replacement for the first half of the competition.

"We're going with what we've got," he said.

"We considered it and there are some great names out there to pick from, but we're pretty happy with the depth we've got.

"In terms of the skill sets we're pretty much covered across the park so we're happy to cover until Dilshan arrives and we're really looking forward to that."

Which is what you would expect for a player who has been in scintillating form, with three ODI hundreds in his past eight innings, all at a rapid rate, and who was named player of the tournament at this year's world Twenty20 championship in England.

Bradburn pointed out that New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori would be playing the entire Twenty20 as well, "and he adds real value for us in leadership, batting and bowling".

ND will not be the only New Zealand province without an overseas player for at least part of the cup.

Canterbury are not eligible for another overseas player as they have two South Africans, captain Kruger van Wyk and batsman Johan Myburgh, already in their squad and who have committed themselves to settling in New Zealand.

Otago have signed Pakistani medium pacer Yasir Arafat for their campaign; Wellington and Auckland have former English batsmen Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara respectively; and Central Districts have English allrounder Graham Napier.