New Zealand Cricket announces winter contract list

New Zealand Cricket today announced the players to receive winter contracts for 2008.

The players are:

Neil Broom (State Otago Volts)
Grant Elliott (State Wellington Firebirds)
Martin Guptill (State Auckland Aces)
Greg Hay (State Central Stags)
Nathan McCullum (State Otago Volts)
Bradley Scott (State Otago Volts)
BJ Watling (State Northern Knights)

The contracts run from 19 May 2008 to the end of September, before the resumption of Major Association contracts.

The period includes the Emerging Players Tournament in Queensland in July and the New Zealand A tour of India in September.

“These contracts have been awarded in recognition of their performance in the last domestic season,” said selector Glenn Turner.

“We have identified them as possible future BLACKCAPS, or as players who we expect to build on existing international experience.

“They are likely to feature in some of our winter tour programmes, including our A team or Emerging Players squads, and there is an expectation that they will keep working on their game during the winter.”