Cricket: Players on clock to decide their future

Paul Strang. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

Players with first-class aspirations next season face a few days of hard thinking as major associations complete their playing rosters.

Those contemplating a switch of allegiance must notify New Zealand Cricket by Wednesday.

Each of the six associations - Auckland, Northern Districts, Central Districts, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago - can contract 12 players but there has been a slight shift in the arrangements this year.

Each must name between nine and 11 of their 12 on August 9. At that point, they look at where there are holes in their roster and who is yet to be contracted around the country and make their final selections.

"That's been driven by everyone, basically," Auckland Cricket chief executive Andrew Eade said yesterday.

"We've all had a look and thought it's not in the best interests of cricket in New Zealand if a player who would have been contracted by an association if they'd known he was available, doesn't get one.

"This way we'll all be able to have a look after naming nine, 10 or 11. Then we might still go with a local player as No 12, or it might be there's someone from somewhere else who might fit in better."

That collective desire to have the country's leading 72 players contracted may work against up-and-coming players. But Auckland coach Paul Strang said there should be no free passes into a contract.

"We don't want to offer green lights to selection because I don't think that benefits anyone in the short term," he said.

"It's about creating the depth and competition and at times that may be uncomfortable for players, but we are a high-performance sport and the guys who come through the tough times are the ones who ultimately go on [to a higher level]."

Eade said the pre-contractual wrangling had a more open-market feel this season than in the past.

In Auckland's case, they have batting issues. Veteran opener Richard Jones has retired - and politely declined a request to reconsider for one more season - international Scott Styris has returned to ND, wicketkeeper-batsman Reece Young has moved to Canterbury and last season's captain and wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins is likely to be absent for parts of the international season.

Seasoned Otago batsman Greg Todd is switching to Auckland to bolster the middle order, bringing with him a 40.2 first-class batting average.

Auckland have a promising quartet in Jeet Raval, Anaru Kitchen, Andrew de Boorder and Colin de Grandhomme but are short on experience.

By contrast, if there is no conflict with a New Zealand commitment, Auckland have powerful fast-medium options, with Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, returning overseas professional Andre Adams and now Chris Martin, who has come back from Canterbury.

Throw in Michael Bates, Auckland's player of the year last summer, and there is a wealth of talent.

However Mills, Tuffey and Martin are expected to be absent for chunks of the summer on international duty. Suddenly stocks may become distinctly thinner. Ditto the batting once Martin Guptill, Tim McIntosh and perhaps Hopkins disappear on various international assignments.

"It makes selection hard, and difficult for some of the younger players," Eade said, who assess their chances weighed against the comings and goings of the international players.

Auckland have six players with national contracts - Mills, Guptill, Hopkins, McIntosh, Tuffey and Martin - who won't figure on the province's list. ND also have six, Wellington four, CD and Otago two each and Canterbury none.