Despite having been horrifically interrupted by a shoulder dislocation last summer, Tickner has taken four or more wickets in five of his last eight innings for New Zealand - culminating in his maiden five-wicket Test bag against Ireland last month.  

BLACKCAPS Head Coach Rob Walter said it was pleasing to see the return of both Tickner and Wellingtonian Devon Conway to the BLACKCAPS contracted list this year.

“Blair has worked extremely hard over the last few years and added new levels to his game,” said Walter - a former Stags Head Coach.

“He’s an excellent team man and has stepped into various roles for the side over the last few months and excelled in them. We’re very happy to have him back.”

Walter added that it was important that the national side “continue to nurture that depth in our bowling stocks, especially with a heavy diet of red-ball cricket over the next 12 months.

“To have Blair contracted full-time will help maintain that depth."

Tickner and Conway’s inclusions have come at the expense of younsters Adi Ashok and Muhammad Abbas. 

NZC said discussions regarding casual playing contracts for players such as Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson are meanwhile ongoing.  

The announcement brings the total number of nationally contracted Central players to five, with Hinds Rosemary Mair, Flora Devonshire and Hannah Rowe having received WHITE FERNS retainers for the same period, Devonshire for the first time.

Of the 20 players receiving BLACKCAPS contracts, eight are from Canterbury, six are from the Wellington Firebirds and two are from Otago while the most populous regions of New Zealand, Northern Districts and Auckland, contribute just one player each.