Munro gets the money – frustration for others
At a glance
The first thing to remember about the rules of the Indian Premier League auction is: there are no rules.
Still, the order of world cricket remained intact on day one of the auction as India, Australia and England cricketers dominated the high-powered bidding duels and New Zealand’s top players did reasonably well without threatening seven figures.
Of the eight current or former Black Caps, Brendon McCullum ($770,000) led the way from Kane Williamson ($641,000), Colin de Grandhomme ($470,000) and Colin Munro ($406,000). Four other wellperformed internationals missed out and were left sweating on the second chance auction: Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ish Sodhi and Martin Guptill.
Pre-auction predictions were dangerous and expectations were low, the mantra repeated by various New Zealand hopefuls who’d described the auction as a lottery.
The four who snared contracts could all be happy with their prices, perhaps with the exception of Munro who was snapped up by Ricky Ponting’s Delhi Daredevils for what looked a bargain on recent form.
The world’s top-ranked Twenty20 international batsman, who scored one of his three centuries in India last year, could well have secured double that. Especially when Chris Lynn, the most destructive batsman in T20 cricket, went for a cool $2.05 million to the big-spending Kolkata Knight Riders.
Munro’s ability to consistently fire in India may have been the questionmark for some franchises, although his unbeaten 109 off 58 balls in Rajkot last November should have alleviated that.
You could argue Munro’s current stocks were higher than McCullum, who scored 248 runs at 24.8 and a strike rate of 136 in Australia’s Big Bash.
Solid, but not earth-shattering numbers by McCullum’s destructive standards as the Heat bowed out before the playoffs.
McCullum, though, remains a marketer’s and IPL franchise owner’s dream.
His 158 in the very first IPL match a decade ago ensured his popularity and he was snapped up by his mate Vettori, also his coach at the Heat.
Williamson is hardly a T20 whirlwind but his status in world Brendon McCullum SOLD for 3.6 crore ($770,000) to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kane Williamson SOLD for 3 crore ($641,000) to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Colin de Grandhomme SOLD for 2.2 crore ($470,000) to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Colin Munro SOLD for 1.9 crore ($406,000) to Delhi Daredevils.
Martin Guptill, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ish Sodhi. cricket and leadership - as mentioned by Moody - helped snare him a nice payday. Interestingly, his England counterpart Joe Root was ignored soon afterwards and was left hoping for the second chance auction.
Essentially the ‘Big Three’ dominate. With only eight overseas players permitted in each squad of 25 Indian players are always going to be front and centre, while Ben Stokes ($2.67 million, Rajasthan Royals), Lynn and Mitchell Starc ($2 million, Kolkata) were the top-three nonIndian players.
Stokes fetched $3.09 million a year ago and performed well with bat and ball in the 2017 tournament, his destructive qualities in both disciplines a rare combination.
If you’ve performed in the IPL before - like Glenn Maxwell who fetched $1.92m from Delhi - or shone in the Big Bash that seems to be the best formline. Uncapped players Darcy Short ($855,000) and Jofra Archer ($1.54m) also hit the jackpot after their Big Bash starring roles.
Lynn lit up the Big Bash a year ago and was instantly sought after around the world, while Starc missed last year’s IPL and his pace and swing were always going to be appealing. Genuine fast bowlers remain the big ticket items.
De Grandhomme’s power hitting against West Indies and Pakistan and home took his game up another level and saw his price nearly top half a million. Compare that with England’s Chris Woakes, a sharper bowler but an inferior batsman to de Grandhomme, who fetched more than three times his price at $1.58 million. Both went to Vettori’s Bangalore.
It only served to heighten the interest when New Zealand take on England in T20 and ODIs at home where they’ll finally be judged against one of the cricketing powers and de Grandhomme and Munro get the chance to show they may have been undervalued against the stars from the powerful nations.