Otago (New Zealand), May 27 (Inditop): New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum is unlikely to turn his back on Otago to play for New South Wales in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India in October.
The odds of him doing so are about 100-1, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
McCullum is eligible for both NSW and Otago, having played for the Sydneysiders in the Australian Twenty20 final last season, and the Herald reported yesterday that NSW would make an approach.
Regulations state that, if a player is eligible for more than one Champions League team, his overseas side must pay his home side 250,000 US dollars transfer fee to secure his services.
Otago chief executive Ross Dykes confirmed he had spoken to McCullum, who is in England, and without giving the game away Dykes gave the impression the wicketkeeper-batsman would be remaining loyal to his home province.
“You won’t find anyone more passionate about Otago than Brendon, but let’s wait and see what happens, there hasn’t even been an official offer yet,” Dykes said.
Otago would be in danger of being outclassed without McCullum, a fact not lost on Dykes.
NSW are looking at McCullum after losing their big-hitting batsman David Warner to the Delhi Daredevils for 250,000 American dollars.
rounak