Minimal Changes for Northern - Northern Districts Contracts Review 2023/24

Northern Districts have announced their contracts for the 2023/24 season and one new name appears on the list. Scott Johnston has received a contract for the first time. Two players who were contracted last year have now dropped the list, with those players being Anurag Verma and Peter Bocock.

Verma did not play any games for the side last year, due to an injury which ruled him out for the whole season. In the 2021/22 season, Verma played 10 Dream 11 Super Smash games. In those fixtures he took 14 wickets at an average of 15.5. He also played 5 List A games, taking 5 wickets at an average of 32.60. He has not appeared in a First Class game since the 2016/17 season. Having had an ok 2021/22 season and then not playing at all last summer, it makes sense as to why Verma has dropped off the list. He will hopefully be looking to make his way into the side this summer. Peter Bocock was the other player to drop off the contracting list. He only appeared in two games over the 2022/23 season, playing two Super Smash games. In those games he batted once, making 19*. Bocock didn’t play any First Class or List A cricket last season but played in both formats during the 2021/22 season. In the 21/22 season he scored 92 runs across 4 innings in the Plunket Shield @23. He also played 2 List A games that season making 23 runs across 2 games. It was clear that the Northern side don’t see a need to have both Seifert and Bocock in the contracts list.

Scott Johnston is the new name on the Northern Districts contract list. It gives the idea that he is replacing Verma on the list. Johnston played in one First Class game last summer, taking eight wickets across the two innings, including a maiden five wicket haul. He also played in two First Class games in the 2021/22 season, taking 1 wicket in the two games. Johnston played two List A games for the Northern Districts side last summer. He took 2 wickets across both the games, with both wickets coming against Wellington. It is clear that Northern may be considering using Johnston across the List A and T20 formats, as he has essentially replaced a white ball bowler in Verma.

Predicted Northern Districts Lineups: Plunket Shield:

1. Henry Cooper

2. Jeet Raval - Captain

3. Bharat Popli

4. Joe Carter

5. Tim Seifert - Wicketkepper

6. Katene Clarke/Kane Williamson

7. Brett Hampton/Mitchell Santner

8. Scott Kuggeleijn

9. Kristian Clarke/Tim Southee

10. Tim Pringle

11. Scott Johnston/Neil Wagner

Ford Trophy:

1. Katene Clarke

2. Tim Seifert - Wicketkeeper

3. Jeet Raval

4. Joe Carter - Captain

5. Henry Cooper/Kane Williamson

6. Brett Hampton/Mitchell Santner

7. Scott Kuggeleijn

8. Tim Pringle

9. Kristian Clarke

10. Fred Walker/Neil Wagner

11. Zak Gibson/Tim Southee

Super Smash:

1. Katene Clarke

2. Tim Seifert - Wicketkeeper

3. Jeet Raval - Captain

4. Joe Carter

5. Henry Cooper/Kane Williamson

6. Brett Hampton/Mitchell Santner

7. Scott Kuggeleijn

8. Tim Pringle

9. Kristian Clarke/Neil Wagner

10. Joe Walker

11. Matt Fisher/Tim Southee