Southland cricket eyes Indian imports through scholarship

Southland (New Zealand), Apr 13(ANI): New Zealand's Southland Cricket Association is looking forward to signing some quality Indian players with the help of a new John Wright scholarship being initiated in India by the Southern Insitute of Technology (SIT).

SIT has announced that former New Zealand skipper and Indian coach John Wright had agreed to lend his name to five partial academic scholarships.

Wright will be the SIT's ambassador during a 10-day, seven-city tour of India beginning at the end of this week.

Southland Cricket Association Chief Executive Ian Mockford stressed that potential players would ideally arrive in the city in September or October and play club cricket initially.

"Having John's name attached to it, I think there will be a lot of people applying," Stuff.co.nz quoted Mockford, as saying.

"From our perspective, I think it's really important that they are a good fit with our cricketing community, that the people that come over want to play all levels of cricket," he added.

However, Southland Cricket Association Chairman, Murray Fitzgibbon, raised doubts on filling the team with imported players.

"You've also got to think of the local players as well. If you bring in five people from outside, what does it do for local cricket, but that's only a personal opinion," Fitzgibbon said.

"In my opinion they've got to be better, and far better, than what we've got," he added. (ANI)