Mark Richardson: Pinching best not cricket

Ross Taylor. Photo / Northern Advocate

What sort of outfit invites teams to a tournament then takes their best players? The Indian Champions League, that's who.

It's like going round to your mate's house because he's got the best backyard, the bat and the ball but if you want to play, he gets to pick the teams.

This has happened to Central Districts in this year's Indian Champions League.

They've lost Ross Taylor to Bangalore Royal Challengers. Taylor had no choice. Under the rules, the Indian Premier League get first dibs on eligible players.

They have to pay a US$200,000 release fee but that's chicken feed for these uber-rich parasites.

This is so wrong. Ross Taylor is a New Zealander, from Palmerston North. He is not an Indian from Bangalore. If given the chance, I reckon Taylor would see it the same way and play for Central Districts.

Remember the emotion he showed when he got CD through to the final of New Zealand's provincial T20 competition? To deny him the choice of allegiance now is akin to what happens in a communist state.

You could argue this rule protects players like Taylor. There is big money if you progress in the Champions League and Taylor's best chance is with Bangalore. If the choice is not his, he avoids being vilified by his countrymen if he makes a business decision.

With Taylor, CD have a great chance of success. He is a match-winner, as 80 from 30 balls in the HRV final showed.

Perhaps more worrying for New Zealand Cricket is that, without Taylor, CD's chances are reduced. Otago were last in the inaugural tournament and a similar display by the New Zealand entrant could have negative consequences.

It was hard enough to get the invite and if Indian officials don't see the New Zealand participant as a worthy contributor then we sure won't get a second team there and our participation will be under threat.

This is not a desirable outcome because participation comes with a much-needed healthy financial reward. How sickening would it be to see Ross Taylor helping Bangalore knock CD out of the tournament?

The rules favour Indian teams and I bet the Indian administration of the Champions League want to avoid the embarrassment of last time when the final was contested between New South Wales and Trinidad & Tobago.

But the rules also make a mockery of a fair competition. Players like Taylor, Cameron White and Dale Steyn have all helped their respective provinces to qualify and now they must advantage their IPL team at the expense of their rightful provinces. How stupid is this tournament?