IPL 2021 Auction: New Zealand players have been overlooked for second rate Australians, says Simon Doull
Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull comments came after Devon Conway smashed a 59-ball 99 in a T20 match against Australia but he went unsold in the IPL auction earlier in the week.
In Short
- Conway had gone unsold in the IPL 2021 auction held last week, where his base price was Rs 50 lakh
- Conway smashed a 59-ball 99 in a T20 match against Australia and earned his team a 53-run win
- Conway came into the T20I opener against Australia on the back of four consecutive half centuries
Former New Zealand fast bowler and commentator Simon Doull has said that cricketers from his country have always been “overlooked for second rate Australians” in the IPL.
His comments came after New Zealand batsman Devon Conway smashed a 59-ball 99 in a T20 match against Australia and earned his team a 53-run win. The batsman had gone unsold in the IPL 2021 auction held last week, where his base price was Rs 50 lakh.
Not sure it matters @ashwinravi99 NZ players have continually been overlooked for second rate Australians in the IPL for years. Seems outside of IPL big bash is the only comp looked at.. #player #NZcricket — Simon Doull (@Sdoull) February 22, 2021
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had applauded Conway’s knock and quipped on social media that it was ‘4 days late’. His reference was to the auctions that had just gone by.
“Devon Conway is just 4 days late, but what a knock,” wrote Ashwin.
But Doull responded saying that it would not have mattered and went on to say that ‘second rate Australians’ have always fared better than New Zealand players in the IPL.
“Not sure it matters @ashwinravi99 NZ players have continually been overlooked for second rate Australians in the IPL for years. Seems outside of IPL big bash is the only comp looked at..,” Doull wrote on Twitter.
In another tweet, Doull wrote, “Just some context. I did not mention any names so stop trolling. Since IPL started 94 Aussies at combined 886 Crore. 31 NZ players 212 Crore.
“Both countries have 6 first class teams and both have domestic T20 comps. It’s more about timing and viewing of BBL.”
Conway has been in tremendous form
Conway, with a base price of Rs 50 lakh in the IPL auctions, went unsold as none of the franchises showed interest in him, despite him being in fine form for his national side and in other competitive T20 matches.
Conway came into the T20I opener against Australia on the back of four consecutive half centuries — 93 not out, 91 not out, 69 and 50 (his previous Super Smash scores) — and with another unbeaten innings, he became the first New Zealand player to record five successive fifties in the game’s shortest format.