Kiwi stars help Vettori meet the challenge
Imagine a pick-up game where you get to sign your mates, play a tournament in full cricket stadiums and pay them hundreds of thousands to do it.
It’s not quite that simple, but coach Daniel Vettori certainly went to those he knows best in assembling his Royal Challengers Bangalore roster for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 after their baffling last-placed finish last year.
The former Black Caps skipper has exactly half New Zealand’s IPL contingent for this year’s edition starting early tomorrow: Brendon McCullum, Tim Southee, Colin de Grandhomme and Corey Anderson.
He raised the paddle at NZ$770,000 for McCullum at January’s auction, and added de Grandhomme for $470,000 and Southee at the second chance auction for his reserve of $214,000. McCullum and Southee are two of Vettori’s closest chums and played for him at Middlesex last year.
Anderson, after a long layoff due to back surgery, got lucky last month when Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile was ruled out with injury and Vettori snapped the allrounder up as a replacement, for his reserve of $418,000.
Described by ESPNCricinfo as the IPL’s ‘‘perennial underachievers’’, Vettori has another powerhouse roster to weave some magic with. With captain Virat Kohli, star legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and other overseas players AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali there are no shortage of options for the top XI where he can field only four imports.
De Grandhomme and Anderson will probably compete for one spot, as will Southee and Woakes.
Of their 2017 woes, Vettori said on the RCB website: ‘‘We had a lot of injuries and we had a wicket that we didn’t adapt to. The pitch seems to have improved this season.’’
Two of New Zealand’s top T20 exponents Trent Boult and Colin Munro join the Ricky Pontingcoached Delhi Daredevils who also underwhelmed last year, finishing sixth. Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and Jason Roy are their other prominent imports.
In Hyderabad there was upheaval when captain David Warner was handed a year-long ban by Cricket Australia after the ball-tampering scandal. The IPL concurred, and it meant Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson, purchased for $640,000, was handed the reins and powerhitting opener Alex Hales replaced Warner.
The Sunrisers finished fourth last year and were champions in 2016.