He's a Central Districts Cricket pathway star, gun national Indoor cricketer, and now a contracted CENTRAL STAG.

Hawke's Bay's TYLER ANNAND becomes the newest face on the Stags' roster of contracted players this season, gaining his first professional signing.

Annand replaces JOSH CLARKSON on the original Central roster, Clarkson having since stepped up to his first BLACKCAPS contract.

Like Clarkson when he was fresh out of Nelson College, the 20-year-old from Hawke's Bay stands out as a tall, strong, athletic young cricketer, with the potential to become a regular in the next generation of Stags.

Annand says the phone call with the contract offer from Central Stags Head Coach GLENN POCKNALL came as a complete surprise.

"It was very much out of the blue, but I said yes straight away, and went straight to Mum and Dad to tell them.

"They've been my biggest influencers and supporters, and they couldn't believe it.

"To be honest, it didn't feel real to me either for a couple of days, until it started to sink in. It's just unreal."

Tyler Annand (left) has already represented NZ U22 internationally at Indoor Cricket

• Photo supplied •

The young right-armer has grown up repping Hawke's Bay and CD development sides in both the indoor and outdoor versions of the game.

He was an NZ Under 22 Men's indoor international rep over the winter and helped lift national indoor titles with the Hawke's Bay Turkeys.

He made his outdoor debut for CD A while he was still at Taradale High School - and is a handy hockey player to boot.

The CD A debut came in 2021/22, the year that he also broke into CD U19 to become a contributor in CURTIS HEAPHY's side that won the NZC national title.

Last season, he was also selected for NZC's New Zealand Development squad.

A contract means an opportunity to train regularly with the Stags | MBUTCHER

"Tyler's been in our CD pathway system for the past three seasons, and it's been great seeing him come through our pathway and Under 19s pretty consistently," said CD High Performance Manager, DAVE MEIRING.

"Last season he was our top wicket-taker, so it's exciting to bring him into the Stags' environment for the first time.

"We can now help him grow further as an athlete, and really mould him into a first-class cricketer."

Meiring said he was keen to add another pace bowler to the training group after the contract movements in that department over recent months.

SETH RANCE has retired, LIAM DUDDING moved to Wellington, DOUG BRACEWELL declined a contract renewal and ex-NZ U19 rep MATT ROWE, who was selected in the Stags' Plunket Shield squad at the back end of last season and served as 12th man, accepted a contract with Canterbury, where he is studying.

 

"We need to grow our bowling ranks, given we have lost a few pace bowlers this year," Meiring said.

"You look at Tyler and the raw tools are there.

"He's got height, he's got size, all the attributes are there to become a good quick bowler - and now he's got the opportunity to train consistently with the Stags group and in our high performance gym, under the guidance of our staff, to develop him into a robust athlete."

Annand says playing cricket of one form or another virtually all-year round is a good clue to how much he enjoys the sport.

"Indoor cricket is very good for honing your reaction times in the field, because you have to be fast when you're playing in that cage.

Tyler Annand | MBUTCHER

"I wouldn't say it especially helps my bowling, but it has made me a better fielder and now I'm just really excited to be in an environment where I can be around the Stags boys and learn a lot off them in all aspects."

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The Central Stags have meanwhile named an unchanged twelve for their next Ford Trophy match, against the Wellington Firebirds at the Cello Basin Reserve tomorrow.

The previous match on Wednesday against Northern Districts in New Plymouth saw BRAD SCHMULIAN and JACK BOYLE both post centuries in a second-wicket double century stand that almost broke Central's record, the team losing a high-scoring thriller by only eight runs.

Article added: Friday 25 October 2024