Not good enough says Snedden to players after Durban incident

Out of character but inexcusable was New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden's feeling about the Durban nightclub incident involving Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum.

They were found to have broken the team's protocol when asked to leave the nightclub amid claims of drunkenness and unacceptable behaviour. Cairns was then assaulted outside the club.

Snedden, who fined the pair $500 each, and who reprimanded the nine other members of the team who were at the nightclub, said it was a bad mistake by the group which they now realised.

As professional sportsmen, in the public eye, the players had to be aware that if they gave people the chance to criticise their behaviour, they had to be prepared to handle the consequences.

Snedden said the reaction of the players to his actions in investigating the matter and putting a report in front of them had been good and they had understood the process and its ramifications.

Snedden had just returned from South Africa when the incident occurred. He had been talking with International Cricket Council executives about New Zealand's decision not to play in Kenya during the World Cup.

While New Zealand's request to have the match played in South Africa had been declined, there was no closure on the matter yet, and there may not be for another 12 months.

What action there would be, would depend on the attitude of the ICC's television partners, the Global Cricket Corporation.

Snedden said it was clear from the outset NZC would be pushing uphill to have their match rescheduled in South Africa but had stuck with their course of action, which was different to that undertaken by England in their refusal to play in Zimbabwe, because they thought it was the best way to deal with the matter.

Snedden said that despite the fact the refusal to play in Kenya might affect New Zealand's ability to move further ahead in the tournament, he was sure it was still the right decision.

It was not a case of looking at the matter as a financial one or a cricket one. It was a matter of serious player safety and the final point was that NZC were dealing with people's lives.

At the same time he said the play of the New Zealand side in the World Cup was impressive and they were on a roll.

"It is a shame our fate is in other people's hands but the team are playing really well. The pressure they were under to win in the West Indies and South African matches was incredible. Especially the South African game where they were chasing South Africa's 306. But in the end they were coasting it.

"I hope something comes out of the last few games of the round to allow them to carry on," he said.