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The Central Districts Cricket Association have announced their Men’s contracts for the 2023/24 season. There are limited changes for the side this summer. Four players have dropped off the list and three have been signed. Curtis Heaphy, Ma’ara Ave, Ben Smith and Seth Rance have all not been offered contracts, whilst Will Clark, Jack Boyle and Ajaz Patel are now contracted to the Central Districts side. Following the 2022/23 summer, where they picked up the Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield titles, they will certainly be pushing to win them again, along with the Dream 11 Super Smash.
It wouldn’t come as a surprise to many that Ma’ara Ave has not been offered a contract with the side, after only appearing in one T20 game last summer. Ave will hopefully be looking to pick up some form with the Cook Islands and Central Districts A, who he captains. The young and talented Curtis Heaphy also drops off the contract list, after he replaced Blair Tickner halfway through the season following his promotion to a national contract. Heaphy featured in five First Class games for the Stags, scoring 249 runs @27.66. His season included two fifties and a high score of 80. It may come as a surprise to some that Ben Smith hasn’t been offered a contract. Smith, a Central Districts veteran has played 183 games across all three formats for the Stags, following his debut in the 2010/11 season. Smith has scored over 3500 runs in the First Class scene, with a high score of 244. He did have a very rough 2022/23, only playing 18 games across the three formats. In his four first class games he scored only 92 runs @13.14, he also played four List A games where he scored 178 runs @35.60, but of those 178 runs, 145 games in one game. He played in nine of the T20 games but could only manage 143 runs @17.87. Seth Rance’s 2022/23 season was brought to an early end following an injury which required shoulder surgery. Before his injury, Rance managed 6 List A games, where he made his List A high score (45), and also picked up 13 wickets @12.30. Rance was looking like he’d been in for a quality summer, but the injury derailed it and is now not available until 2024.
Jack Boyle and Will Clark have both been brought into the Central Districts side for the summer. Jack Boyle is a great player and will look to go hard in the T20 and List A formats. Boyle made his debut in the green jersey last summer after a move up to Central Hawke’s Bay from Canterbury. In the four List A games he played in, he scored 103 runs @25.75. He made a high score of 63. Boyle also made his four day debut in the Plunket Shield for the Stags, scoring 173 across four innings (2 matches), his debut was memorable, scoring only his second First Class 100 and finishing up on 117. This century helped keep the Stags on track to taking out the Plunket Shield. Boyle will be looking to make his mark across all three formats this summer, and expect to see him opening for the side. Will Clark also has received his first full season for the Stags, after taking Joey Field’s contract last summer following a season ending injury. Clark played in three List A games scoring 63 runs and across two innings, with a high score of 32. He also made his debut in the Super Smash, scoring 71 runs across three innings, with a high score of 44*. After making his First Class debut in the 2021/22 season, this past season he only played one game, but scored 79 runs across the two innings. Clark will be hoping to stamp his mark this coming season and find a regular place in the Central Districts XI.
You would expect Curtis Heaphy or Ben Smith to take the 16th contract for this summer, but there is the opportunity for a young club player to pick it up. With only three contracted batters and two contracted wicketkeepers, it is highly likely that the Central Districts side go for someone like Heaphy who is young and can hopefully contribute to the Stags for many years to come.
Predicted Central Stags Lineups: Plunket Shield
Jack Boyle
Greg Hay
Brad Schmulian/Will Young
Dane Cleaver - Wicketkeeper
Tom Bruce - Captain
Josh Clarkson
Doug Bracewell
Brett Randell
Ajaz Patel
Ray Toole
Liam Dudding/Blair Tickner
Ford Trophy
Bayley Wiggins/Will Young
Jack Boyle
Dane Cleaver - Wicketkeeper
Brad Schmulian
Tom Bruce - Captain
Josh Clarkson
Will Clark
Doug Bracewell
Ajaz Patel
Brett Randell
Blair Tickner/Ray Toole
Super Smash
Bayley Wiggins/Will Young
Jack Boyle
Dane Cleaver - Wicketkeeper
Tom Bruce - Captain
Josh Clarkson
Will Clark
Doug Bracewell
Ajaz Patel
Brett Randell
Jayden Lennox
Blair Tickner/Joey Field
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