Black Caps bowler Adam Milne. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Eight New Zealanders have been picked up in the Indian Premier League auction, while Australian Cameron Green has become the most expensive overseas player ever.
Rachin Ravindra ($380,000), Finn Allen ($380,000) and Tim Seifert ($286,000) were bought by Kolkata Knight Riders, joining Green there.
Allrounder Green, who was initially registered as a batsman due to an error, was the subject of intense bidding between Kolkata and Chennai Super Kings before being purchased by the three-times champions for $4.78 million.
The 26-year-old is the third most expensive player in IPL history, after India's Rishabh Pant ($5.1m) and Shreyas Iyer ($5.08m).
"We are very happy. This is something that we were really focused on... I think he adds a lot to our team," Kolkata chief executive Venky Mysore said.
Adam Milne received the top bid for a Black Caps player, going for $455,000 to the Rajasthan Royals.
Royal Challengers Bengalaru paid $380,000 for Jacob Duffy, the Delhi Capitals paid $380,000 for Kyle Jamieson, while Chennai Super Kings paid $380,000 for Matt Henry and $143,000 for Zak Foulkes.
Cameron Green is bowled out by England bowler Brydon Carse on day two of the second Ashes test. Photo: photosport
Those New Zealand players to go unsold included: Devon Conway, Michael Bracewell, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Ben Sears, Tim Robinson, Bevon-John Jacobs and Muhammed Abbas.
Four other New Zealanders, Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians), Lockie Ferguson (Punjab Kings), Glenn Phillips (Gujarat Titans), and Mitchell Santner (Mumbai Indians) were all retained by the franchises they played for last year.
Green, who missed the IPL this year as he was recovering from back surgery, is set to play in the third Ashes test against England starting on Wednesday.
Kolkata also spent big on Sri Lankan seamer Matheesha Pathirana and Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman.
Five-time champions Chennai splurged $2.7m each on wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma, who has hit 16 sixes in this season's Ranji Trophy, and all-rounder Prashant Veer, making them the most expensive uncapped signings in IPL history.
The 19th edition of the IPL begins on 26 March, after India co-hosts the Twenty20 World Cup starting in February.
-Reuters with additional reporting from RNZ
