Pinching best players is not cricket

Mark Richardson, writing in the New Zealand Herald, does not mince any words in expressing his displeasure at the fact that Ross Taylor will have to play for his IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Champions League instead of his home provincial team Central Districts.

What sort of outfit invites teams to a tournament then takes their best players? The Indian Champions League, that's who. It's like going round to your mate's house because he's got the best backyard, the bat and the ball but if you want to play, he gets to pick the teams. This has happened to Central Districts in this year's Indian Champions League. They've lost Ross Taylor to Bangalore Royal Challengers. Taylor had no choice. Under the rules, the Indian Premier League get first dibs on eligible players.