Canning only player looked at for New Zealand exemption

Auckland all-rounder Tama Canning was the only player New Zealand Cricket sought an exemption for from the International Cricket Council last week.

Canning, of Maori parentage but born and brought up in Australia, is now eligible to play for New Zealand after the ICC approved a NZC request for an exemption for him to avoid a four-year stand-down period.

No exemption has been sought for leg-spinner Aaron Redmond, another Australian who has been through the New Zealand Cricket Academy at Lincoln University.

NZC wasn't confident it could get an exemption under the extenuating circumstances clause for Canning but was delighted when word came through from the ICC last week.

NZC filed the Canning application after approaching Australian Cricket Board chief executive Mal Speed who had no objection to New Zealand's move on the basis of the input New Zealand had into his development.

The Australian support was thought to be a factor in the speedy decision on the matter by the chairman of the ICC's cricket committee, former Test batsman Sunil Gavaskar.

"We weren't confident it would be accepted and when it came through I was gob-smacked," NZC's cricket manager John Reid said.

The only previous exemption made by the ICC was for former Zimbabwe international Neil Johnson who had transferred from South Africa.

New Zealand selection convener Sir Richard Hadlee said today he was pleased for Canning, and pleased for New Zealand cricket.

"He has the multi-skills we are targetting and it is pleasing it has all been resolved," he said.

Hadlee had wanted to include Canning in the CLEAR Black Caps team for the one day series against Zimbabwe but was forced to look elsewhere when informed that Canning was ineligible. This was in spite of his inclusion in New Zealand Academy and A teams.

The selectors will be sitting down next week to consider their side for the Sri Lankan series and Hadlee said that as long as everyone was fit it would be an interesting exercise.