Slow paperwork costs Neesham lucrative gig
A delay in New Zealand Cricket issuing clearance to Jimmy Neesham appears to have cost the allrounder a spot in the lucrative, hastily arranged World XI series in Pakistan next month.
Neesham’s name was missing from the 14 read out by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi just before midnight (NZT), a team including former Black Caps allrounder Grant Elliott to be captained by South Africa’s Faf du Plessis.
NZC confirmed it advised the New Zealand Cricket Players Association (CPA) on Thursday it would grant the required no objection certificate to clear the way for Neesham to play in the three Twenty20 internationals where players are being paid a reported US$100,000 (NZ$138,000).
But that was apparently too late, leaving NZC, the CPA and Neesham surprised to say the least.
‘‘I was expecting to see Jimmy in the side and I just think it’s taken a little while to get his NOC there, which has meant he’s missed the cut-off for selection in the team which is disappointing for him,’’ CPA chief executive Heath Mills said.
Mills said he and Neesham were unaware of any cut off time for an NOC to be issued. Neesham spoke to World XI coach Andy Flower on Wednesday and he hadn’t yet picked the team.
Things changed rapidly this week and NZC was also unaware of any deadline.
NZC chief executive David White said earlier this month it would not issue NOCS for any of its 21 contracted players due to other
yet-to-be confirmed international commitments in late September. Non-contracted New Zealand players were free to accept any offers.
Then Sethi confirmed the series on Monday with new dates for the T20 matches, on September 12, 13 and 15 in Lahore, which was earlier than previously pencilled in.
‘‘When that [series schedule] was cleared up during the past week, we put it in front of our board yesterday [Thursday], at which point approval was granted,’’ said NZC’S general manager public affairs, Richard Boock.
Elliott, who is retired from international cricket, will be the first New Zealand cricketer to play a top-level match in Pakistan since 2003 when Chris Cairns led an under-strength ODI side.
It is understood at least 15 top players turned down Flower’s offer due to security concerns, including former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.
Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are the only international sides to tour Pakistan since 2009 when Sri Lanka’s team bus was attacked by gunmen on the way to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The Black Caps abandoned their last test tour of Pakistan in 2002 after a fatal bomb blast outside their Karachi hotel.
Mills had confirmed Neesham’s willingness to be part of the series, and said security expert Reg Dickason had given the Pakistan Cricket Board’s ‘‘presidential level’’ security plan the thumbs up.
‘‘In terms of our advice, we’ve just passed on the information from Fica [Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations] around the series and the fact that Reg Dickason is providing the security for the team.’’
Neesham - just back from a T20 stint with Kent in England - was required to make his own insurance arrangements for Pakistan, which was understood to be one condition of NZC granting the NOC.
The International Cricket Council this year backed the return of top-level cricket to Pakistan, which hosted its Twenty20 Super League final in Lahore in March without incident.