Two CENTRAL STAGS have been offered contracts on the 2024/25 BLACKCAPS players roster, NZC announced today.

AJAZ PATEL is the Central Stags' premier spinner and one of only three players in cricket history to have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings.

There will plenty of smiles all-round at seeing the consistent 35-year-old's name back on the national roster. Patel was previously contracted, but missed out on a renewal last year.

AJAZ PATEL | image: Margot Butcher

Now with 16 Test matches, 31 ODIs (including three centuries) and 18 T20Is under his belt, 31-year-old class batsman WILL YOUNG meanwhile earns another contract renewal, having been first contracted in 2019 when he was still uncapped.

However, there's no room this year for 2023/24 Central Stags Player of the Year BLAIR TICKNER on the list, with the paceman now eligible to be Domestically contracted for the Stags once more, while pace trio Otago Volt JACOB DUFFY, Canterbury's WILL O'ROURKE and Wellington's BEN SEARS all gain a contract at national level for the first time.

No room for BLAIR TICKNER | PHOTOSPORT

While once the list of annual contracts was dominated by Northern Districts stars, seven of the 20 players on the NZC list this year represent Canterbury (including two former ND reps in DARYL MITCHELL and ISH SODHI), while Wellington contributes five players - including rising international star RACHIN RAVINDRA who earns his first national contract.

Only two current ND representatives - veterans TIM SOUTHEE and MITCH SANTNER - have been offered contracts for 2024/25.

Missing are KANE WILLIAMSON, who opted out, and has instead been offered an NZC casual playing contract for the coming year of cricket; while NEIL WAGNER has retired from the BLACKCAPS arena. TRENT BOULT opted out of the previous year's national contracting process.

WILL YOUNG | image: Margot Butcher

Auckland quick LOCKIE FERGUSON and former Stags quick (now Wellington Firebird), ADAM MILNE have also made themselves unavailable for an NZC BLACKCAPS contract for the coming season. 

Players who opt out of the contracting process are still able to represent the BLACKCAPS in matches when selected, but NZC reiterated its stance that players offered NZC contracts must commit to being available for both the BLACKCAPS and the Domestic Dream11 Super Smash competition.

BLACKCAPS selector SAM WELLS acknowledged the international cricket landscape was evolving quickly, but said the performance of, and the demand for, New Zealand players around the world suggested much of the system was working.

AJAZ PATEL is a prolific wicket-taker for the Stags | image: Margot Butcher

“We're producing international-ready BLACKCAPS, and we’re pleased with the current depth," said Wells

“The strength of the list is perhaps best measured by the quality of some of the players who weren’t offered contracts.”

The first round of 2024/25 Domestic contracts will be announced on 18 July.

In other news, former Auckland Aces captain ROBBIE O'DONNELL has confirmed a transfer to Northern Districts, while batsman LEO CARTER has transferred from Canterbury to Otago ahead of the contracting process.

2024/25

Contract Offers

[ alphabetical order ]

Finn Allen - Auckland Aces

Tom Blundell - Wellington Firebirds

Michael Bracewell - Wellington Firebirds

Mark Chapman - Auckland Aces

Devon Conway - Wellington Firebirds

Jacob Duffy - Otago Volts

Matt Henry - Canterbury

Kyle Jamieson - Canterbury

Tom Latham - Canterbury

Daryl Mitchell - Canterbury

Henry Nicholls - Canterbury

Will O’Rourke - Canterbury

Ajaz Patel - Central Stags

Glenn Phillips - Otago Volts

Rachin Ravindra - Wellington Firebirds

Mitchell Santner - Northern Districts

Ben Sears - Wellington Firebirds

Ish Sodhi - Canterbury

Tim Southee - Northern Districts

Will Young - Central Stags

ENQUIRE HERE

Article added: Wednesday 10 July 2024

Author: Margot Butcher

All images: Photosport | Published under licence or ©️Margot Butcher