New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond looks set to lead the way for the Black Caps heading to the Indian Premier League, and join his team the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Bond is believed to have weighed up his options regarding security issues, after the recent rigorous checks by independent expert Reg Dickason.
In making the decision, the 34-year-old stands to earn most of his 750,000 dollars a season, which is paid on a pro-rata basis.
Bond, who missed KKR’s first game against Deccan Chargers, is expected to leave in the next 48 hours and be available for Tuesday’s game against Chennai Super Kings.
Earlier, Bond had declared himself available for the IPL despite an Al-Qaeda threatening to target players during the tournament.
“They're going of their own accord; New Zealand Cricket isn't involved so it comes down to an individual decision at the end of the day. Bondy will be the first one to go, so he's probably getting close to making a decision and all I'm going to do is keep relaying information to him from our security adviser,” The New Zealand Herald quoted Heath Mills, New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss, as saying.
“The measures they've put in place have got a lot better so they (the players) are getting more confident. Certainly more confident than they were two weeks ago. I'd say they'd be of a mind to go at the moment, but that's their call and obviously I wouldn't want to be seen to say that they're definitely going,” he added.
Other than Bond, New Zealand players Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Daniel Vettori are part of the IPL.
Oram is still recovering from injury, but the remaining trio will make a final decision after the Australian test series.
