By Mark Geenty of NZPA

Wellington, Feb 23 NZPA - New Zealand's top cricketers are in wait-and-see mode after their players' association demanded Indian Premier League (IPL) organisers address significant security concerns around next month's tournament.

Daniel Vettori, Shane Bond, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor assembled with their New Zealand teammates in Wellington today for the Australia series as New Zealand Cricket Players' Association (CPA) boss Heath Mills was outlining a report that a terrorism threat against the tournament was "real and credible".

While the players are free to make their own decisions as independent contractors, the report raised the prospect that New Zealand, Australian, English and South African players would be advised against attending the lucrative tournament scheduled to start on March 12.

Bond was signed on a $US750,000 ($NZ1.07 million) deal and is available for nearly the entire IPL due to his retirement from test cricket.

Oram will also be a free agent after the fifth ODI against Australia in Wellington on March 13, while Vettori, Taylor and McCullum won't be free to line up until after the second test against Australia in Hamilton from March 27-31.

Bond, married with a young family, was intent on not jumping to a decision.

"It's a month down the track and all I've focused on is this series. I'll let all the stuff that's happened behind the scenes take care of itself. A month's a long time and I'll have to make a decision when the time comes up," he said.

Bond was reluctant to discuss the IPL on the eve of his comeback series against Australia, but he said he would consult people close to him and make an informed decision about attending.

"Once I've got the facts that will be my choice."

Complicating matters is the potential unfavourable response from IPL bosses and the franchises if the tournament went ahead in India and contracted players withdrew.

Mills held a press conference in Christchurch where he confirmed the grave concerns of the players' associations from New Zealand, Australia, England and South Africa after a report by independent security consultant Reg Dickason.

"There have been (al Qaeda) threats against cities in India, and clearly a direct threat against the event," Mills said.

"A combination of those and our lack of confidence in security management plans have led us to having to ask some questions of the IPL and see whether they can alleviate those concerns.

"It's one thing to have a security management plan, it's a much different thing to see it delivered and delivered well. It's quite complex when you consider the IPL is played across 12 cities, 12 police jurisdictions throughout India. There are some real concerns around that aspect."

The four players' associations would reconvene and write to IPL organisers tomorrow with their security demands.

Other countries, such as previous hosts South Africa, were an option for organisers but Mills was reluctant to speculate on whether the tournament would proceed in India.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said it wouldn't offer advice, and because the IPL was a domestic offshore competition it was solely the players' decision on whether to attend.

He admitted it was far easier to provide a secure environment for one touring team in India rather than a number of teams travelling to different parts of India, as in the IPL.

Black Sticks hockey player Simon Child withdrew yesterday from the World Cup in India, citing safety fears, but his teammates flew to Delhi as planned.

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