Jamieson, other NZ cricketers turn eyes to IPL auction

CRICKET

BLACK Caps allrounder Kyle Jamieson reckons he will try to get some sleep tonight.

Good luck, big fella.

Whether he gets any shuteye or not, the chances are he will be a lot — a lot — better off financially when the sun comes up.

The IPL auction gets under way about 10.30pm New Zealand time.

The towering Aucklander is likely to be hot property. He has carved out quite a reputation for himself during a brief but glittering international career.

The 26yearold has nabbed 36 wickets in just six tests and, at more than 2m tall, he can get steep bounce from a regulation length, and that is a highly soughtafter attribute.

He can also club the ball, which helps.

Jamieson will be joined in cricket’s version of a stock sale by the likes of Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Jimmy Neesham, Colin Munro, Daryl Mitchell, Martin Guptill, Glenn Phillips and Tim Southee.

It is a very long list. Otago’s Jacob Duffy and Mitchell McClenaghan have also entered the auction, while Black Caps Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson and Kane Williamson have been retained by their franchises.

Jamieson admitted to some nervous energy around the auction. But the way he was able to safely bat off question after question suggests he might be able to slot in further up the batting order.

‘‘I wouldn’t say I’ve focused too much on [the IPL auction],’’ Jamieson said.

‘‘You can’t really control these things — they will play out the way they are going to play out.’’

His focus, he said, was on the T20 series against Australia — which is scheduled to get under way in Christchurch on Monday — and he tried to steer the gathered media in that direction.

But he relented when asked whether he planned to stay up and watch the auction.

‘‘I will probably just sleep and check in the morning. If there are a few messages in the morning then great, if not then it is business as usual.’’

Playing in the IPL is on his ‘‘bucket list’’ though and ‘‘hopefully one day I can tick that off’’, he said.

There was another big announcement Jamieson and the rest of New Zealand were sweating on yesterday.

The Government was due to make a decision on whether to move the Covid19 Alert Levels.

Speaking before the announcement, he said it would be disappointing if the games went ahead without crowds.

‘‘There has obviously been a lot of moving parts in the last couple of days,’’ he said.

‘‘But playing in front of your own crowd, and we’ve got a couple of sellouts as well, is such a special thing. We get such great atmospheres at our grounds.

‘‘Certainly, with the New ZealandAustralia series being one of the pinnacle events in terms of New Zealand rivalries, it would be cool to have fans in the stadiums.’’