New Zealand Cricket announces contracted players for 2011-12

New Zealand Cricket today announced the twenty players to be offered BLACKCAPS contracts for the year 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2012.

The players are:

Hamish Bennett – Canterbury Wizards
Trent Boult – Northern Knights
Neil Broom – Otago Volts
Daniel Flynn – Northern Knights
Martin Guptill – Auckland Aces
Chris Martin – Auckland Aces
Brendon McCullum – Otago Volts
Nathan McCullum – Otago Volts
Andy McKay – Wellington Firebirds
Kyle Mills – Auckland Aces
Rob Nicol – Canterbury Wizards
Jacob Oram – Central Stags
Jesse Ryder – Wellington Firebirds
Tim Southee – Northern Knights
Ross Taylor – Central Stags
Daniel Vettori – Northern Knights
BJ Watling – Northern Knights
Kane Williamson – Northern Knights
Luke Woodcock – Wellington Firebirds
Reece Young – Canterbury Wizards

Contracts are offered to the 20 players considered to have the greatest value to the BLACKCAPS over the coming 12 months based on previous form and their likelihood to be selected.

A set criteria is used to rank players across all three forms of the game with Test cricket receiving twice the weighting of ODIs and Twenty20 internationals. The players with the highest aggregate score are then offered NZC contracts.

Reece Young, Rob Nicol, Trent Boult and Luke Woodcock are the newcomers to the contracted players list; Daniel Flynn and Neil Broom have returned to the list after missing out last year and Hamish Bennett has remained as an NZC contracted player after receiving an elevated contract in February 2011.

Brent Arnel, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Tim McIntosh, Jeetan Patel and Daryl Tuffey were included in last year’s list but have not been offered NZC contracts this year while James Franklin, who received an elevated contract in February, also missed out. Scott Styris, who retired from international cricket, was not considered.

Acting National Selection Manager Mark Greatbatch said the number of new players forcing their way into the top 20 was a feature of the list.

“Seven changes to the contracted list highlights the fact that there are a number of quality cricketers contesting for the top twenty contracts. That kind of competitiveness is good for our cricket”

“There is a good mix of experienced players and promising talent in a list that recognises strong domestic performances as well as good international form.

“Trent Boult receives his first NZC contract after being in and around the team for some time and showing consistent domestic form and good development during the recent fast bowling camps.

“Rob Nicol, who topped the overall domestic MVP table last year, is a good example of a player who has forced his way into the list on the back of a strong domestic season.

“Reece Young, Hamish Bennett and Luke Woodcock started international cricket last season and made the most of their opportunities and are likely to feature prominently in the year ahead.

“Both Daniel Flynn and Neil Broom have worked hard to develop their game after missing out on an NZC contract last year and their inclusion is a clear indication to all players that the door is never closed.

“As always, there were some tough decisions and some players with decent international records have missed out. Those players can play their way back into the reckoning by performing at domestic level.

“It is expected the players from last year’s list who missed out will pick up leading contracts with their Major Associations.”

The Major Association contracts will be announced later this month.