By RICHARD BOOCK
New Zealand will send a team to a controversial cricket tri-series in Singapore despite supporting moves to reduce the number of one-day internationals being played.
India have already withdrawn from the stand-alone tournament, leaving New Zealand facing a week-long campaign against Pakistan and South Africa.
Pakistan, India's replacement, have recently recommended life bans for two players after a year-long investigation into corruption, while South African cricket is being laid bare by ongoing revelations in the King inquiry.
The Singapore tournament, scheduled for August, would appear to fly in the face of a general agreement reached during the International Cricket Council's crisis meeting last month, when New Zealand supported a call to reduce the number of obscure ODI tournaments.
After earlier casting doubt on the future of the tri-series, NZC chief executive Chris Doig yesterday confirmed New Zealand's involvement, although he conceded he felt uneasy about the event, given the concerns at ICC level.
Doig initially said New Zealand would probably not go to Singapore if reports of India's withdrawal could be confirmed, but decided his organisation should meet its obligations after hearing of Pakistan's inclusion.
"It suits our purposes in terms of providing the players with some match-practice before the tour of Africa," he said. "But I have to say there's a large part of me which doesn't feel good about this trip, particularly in light of the ICC's endeavours."
The New Zealand board supported the principle of reducing the amount of one-day cricket being played.
According to reports from Dhaka, the withdrawal of India is their first step towards reducing the national team's overseas ODI commitments.
The first "official" reason India offered was the non-availability of three key players because of county commitments, but when it was suggested the decision was linked to the Indian cricket board's inquiry into match-fixing, a second explanation was quickly produced.
"The invitation from the Singapore association was rejected because of the board's decision to take part only in events listed in the original ICC calendar - and not for any other reason," said board secretary Jaywant Lele.
The move leaves the Indian team with a 21/2-month break from international cricket before their annual five-match series against Pakistan in Toronto in September.
The Singapore tri-series is scheduled to precede New Zealand's tour of Zimbabwe, which is in jeopardy because of civil unrest, and an eight-week tour of South Africa.
Meanwhile, Doig said it was a healthy sign for New Zealand cricket that six out of a shortlisted seven applicants for the national selection panel were former international players.
All but two of the applicants had been interviewed for the three positions.
Incumbent convener Ross Dykes - who has stood again - is presumably the shortlisted applicant without international playing experience, while speculation surrounds the involvement of former test players Sir Richard Hadlee and Mark Greatbatch and one-day specialist Brian McKechnie.
The panel will be announced in a fortnight.
Cricket: Tri-series duty for NZ despite one-day stand
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