Otago include McCullum in Champions League squad

New South Wales may be vying for Brendon McCullum's services as well, but Otago have named him in their provisional squad for the Champions League. A 19-member squad for the tournament that takes place in India starting October 8 has been named, and will be trimmed to 15 in September.

McCullum made a controversial appearance for New South Wales in the Australian domestic Twenty20 final in January so that he could qualify for the Blues. He is yet to confirm which team he will play for; if he is to play for New South Wales, the Australia state side will have pay Otago US$250,000.

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes was confident McCullum would pick his home side. "As far as I'm concerned he is playing for us," Dykes told the Otago Daily Times. "It is not something Brendon would need to confirm. He qualifies for Otago and he is mad keen to play."

There are six other players with international experience in the Otago squad: Nathan McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Craig Cumming and England allrounder Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Mike Hesson, the Otago coach, was happy with the experience and strength of his squad. "Outside of our international players we have a blend of experienced campaigners like Warren McSkimming and James McMillan, mixed with some exciting younger players in left-arm-spinner Nick Beard and attacking opening batsman Hamish Rutherford," he said.

Otago will start training for the Champions League at a camp in Dunedin in early September.

Otago squad: 1 Neil Broom, 2 Nick Beard, 3 Derek de Boorder, 4 Anthony Bullick, 5 Ian Butler, 6 Craig Cumming, 7 Sean Eathorne, 8 Shaun Haig, 9 Mathew Harvie, 10 Dimitri Mascarenhas, 11 Brendon McCullum, 12 Nathan McCullum, 13 James McMillan, 14 Warren McSkimming, 15 Aaron Redmond, 16 Hamish Rutherford, 17 William Somerville, 18 Greg Todd, 19 Neil Wagner