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The New Zealand Major Associations have released the first round of contract offers. There have not been too many changes in the contracting system this summer, with the main movers being Cam Fletcher to Auckland and Michael Rae and Michael Rippon to Canterbury.
Auckland:
Gains: Cam Fletcher (Canterbury), Matt Gibson, Harjot Johal (First time contracts), Finn Allen (Wellington) Losses: Ben Horne, Will Somerville (Retirement), Ross ter Braak (Not offered a contract), Kyle Jamieson (Canterbury) Auckland have offered three new contracts to players for this summer. The first being former Canterbury wicketkeeper, Cam Fletcher who will take over the gloves from Ben Horne who retired earlier this year. Harjot Johal and Matt Gibson have both earned their first contracts for Auckland. Johal has yet to debut for the side, but Gibson made his debut in all three formats last summer. He played in two First Class games and four List A and T20 matches. Auckland have also gained Blackcap, Finn Allen but he may only be available for a limited number of games, pending selection in Blackcaps sides. Auckland lost two players to retirements, with Ben Horne and Will Somerville deciding to part the cricketing scene and Ross ter Braak was not offered a contract.
Northern Districts: Gains: Scott Johnston (First time contracted) Losses: Peter Bocock, Anurag Verma (Not offered contracts) There has not been too much of a shakeup in the Northern Districts contracted list for the 2023/24 summer. Scott Johnston has received his first professional contract. Johnston appeared in both Northern Districts List A and First Class sides last summer, playing three first class matches, including taking a five wicket haul and also playing two List A games. Peter Bocock and Anurag Verma have both not been offered contracts. Bocock only played two T20 games, and Verma didn’t play at all due to an injury that ruled him out for the summer.
Central Districts:
Gains: Jack Boyle, Will Clark (First contract), Ajaz Patel (Not offered an NZC Contract)
Losses: Ma’ara Ave, Curtis Heaphy, Ben Smith, Seth Rance (Not offered contracts)
There has been a minor shakeup in the Central Districts contracting list for the 2023/24 season, with four players not being offered contracts for the summers. Jack Boyle and Will Clark have both been offered contracts by Central Districts for the coming summer. Boyle, who moved from Canterbury to Hawke’s Bay last summer, has been rewarded with a first contract by the Stags after making his debut in the First Class and List A formats. Boyle scored a magnificent century on his FC debut, scoring 117. Boyle also appeared in four List A games. Will Clark also gains his first contract for the Central Districts side after playing in all three formats last summer. Clark made his debut in the T20 and List A sides, after having appeared in a First Class game in the 2021/22 summer. Blackcaps spinner, Ajaz Patel has also picked up a Central Districts contract, after missing out on a national contract. Patel needs no introduction and is long time servant of the Central side, having played for them since 2013. He is mostly known for his 10 wickets in an innings against India in 2021. Ma’ara Ave, Curtis Heaphy, Ben Smith and Seth Rance all drop off the contracts list for this summer.
Wellington: Gains: Muhammad Abbas, Nick Greenwood, James Hartshorn, Gareth Severin (First time contracted) Losses: Jakob Bhula, Devan Vishvaka (Not offered contracts), Luke Georgeson (Otago), Ollie Newton (Declined Contract), Finn Allen (Auckland) Wellington have offered four new contracts for the summer. Muhammad Abbas and Gareth Severin who both average around 50, in the First Class format. Abbas played five games for the Wellington side, scoring one hundred (130) and also scored 3 fifties. Severin scored 196 to nearly take his side to victory over Northern Districts. ND ended up winning by 2 runs. Jersey international Nick Greenwood has also been offered a contract. Greenwood only played one first class game last summer, but with the loss of Luke Georgeson to Otago and Finn Allen to Wellington, it could be Greenwood’s time to shine. James Hartshorn was offered the fourth Wellington contract. Hartshorn has played 10 games across the First Class and List A format and would have been bought into the side as a replacement for the now centrally contracted, Adam Milne.
Canterbury: Gains: Michael Rae, Michael Rippon (Otago) Losses: Blake Coburn (Retirement), Cam Fletcher (Auckland), Theo van Woerkom (Not offered contract) Canterbury have signed Michael Rae and Michael Rippon from Otago. Rippon has been brought into the side, after Canterbury lost Blake Coburn to retirement. Todd Astle did feature in T20 games for the side last year, but has also retired. Michael Rae made the move up to Canterbury to be closer to whānau, and has been offered a contract with the Canterbury side. A big loss for Canterbury will be the departure of Cam Fletcher who has decided to move to Auckland. Theo van Woerkom has also not been offered a contract.
Otago: Gains: Luke Georgeson (Wellington), Thorn Parkes (First time contracted) Losses: Josh Finnie (Retired), Michael Rae, Michael Rippon (Canterbury) Otago have offered contracts to Luke Georgeson and Thorn Parkes for the first time. Georgeson, who has appeared in the Wellington side for the last couple of seasons, hadn’t been getting much game time for the side and this has likely played into the reason for his departure to the Otago side. Thorn Parkes has also gained a contract for the first time, after appearing in all three formats for the Otago side last summer. Michael Rae and Michael Rippon have both departed the side, after being offered contracts by Canterbury and Josh Finnie announced his retirement earlier this year.
Domestic and International Contracts 2023/24
Auckland Cricket: Adithya Ashok, Cole Briggs, Louis Delport, Danru Ferns, Cam Fletcher, Matt Gibson, Ryan Harrison, Harjot Johal, Simon Keene, Ben Lister, Robbie O’Donnell, Will O’Donnell, Sean Solia, Quinn Sunde, George Worker
Northern Districts (Dream11 Super Smash 22/23 winners): Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Kristian Clarke, Henry Cooper, Matthew Fisher, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Scott Johnston, Scott Kuggeleijn, Bharat Popli, Tim Pringle, Jeet Raval, Tim Seifert, Fred Walker, Joe Walker
Central Districts (Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy 22/23 winners): Jack Boyle, Doug Bracewell, Tom Bruce, Will Clark, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Liam Dudding, Joey Field, Greg Hay, Jayden Lennox, Ajaz Patel, Brett Randell, Brad Schmulian, Ray Toole, Bayley Wiggins
Wellington Cricket: Muhammad Abbas, Nick Greenwood, James Hartshorn, Troy Johnson, Nick Kelly, Callum McLachlan, Iain McPeake, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Gareth Severin, Ben Sears, Michael Snedden, Nathan Smith, Peter Younghusband, Logan van Beek
Canterbury Cricket: Chad Bowes, Matt Boyle, Leo Carter, Sean Davey, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Cole McConchie, Angus McKenzie, Edward Nuttall, Ken McClure, Will O’Rourke, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Fraser Sheat, Henry Shipley
Otago: Matt Bacon, Max Chu, Jacob Cumming, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Luke Georgeson, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Llew Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Jarrod McKay, Travis Muller, Thorn Parkes, Dale Phillips, Hamish Rutherford
2023/24 Blackcaps Contract Offers: Finn Allen (Auckland), Tom Blundell (Wellington), Michael Bracewell (Wellington), Mark Chapman (Auckland), Devon Conway (Wellington), Lockie Ferguson (Auckland), Matt Henry (Canterbury), Kyle Jamieson (Canterbury), Tom Latham (Canterbury), Adam Milne (Wellington), Daryl Mitchell (Canterbury), Henry Nicholls (Canterbury), Glenn Phillips (Otago), Mitchell Santner (Northern Districts), Ish Sodhi (Canterbury), Tim Southee (Northern Districts), Blair Tickner (Central Districts), Neil Wagner (Northern Districts), Kane Williamson (Northern Districts), Will Young (Central Districts)
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