Cricket: Sinclair misses out on NZC contract list

Blacks Caps opening batsman Mathew Sinclair looks to be a casualty in the latest list of contracted international players. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Black Caps batsman Mathew Sinclair is the latest casualty of New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) contract list after failing to make the cut.

The 29-year-old confirmed to a Wellington newspaper he had been axed from the top-20 list of players for 2005-06 and was now considering giving the game away or plying his trade overseas.

The list will be officially announced by NZC today.

Sinclair joins Ian Butler who told Radio Sport today that he was also omitted.

A distraught and emotional Sinclair said he was "gobsmacked" when told of his fate by New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker.

"Words cannot describe how I feel at the moment, I feel like I have been fired from a job," Sinclair said.

"I'm not sure where to turn to next but if this is how I'm going to be treated then I have to weigh up my options in the game and even out of it."

Sinclair was expected to rank around the 15-18 mark, which carries a retainer of $45,000-$55,000.

"Sure, I failed in a couple of innings against Australia, but I don't think I was alone there and I also put my hand up to open against them last summer and, whatever anyone says, there is a helluva difference between opening and No 3 or 4," he said.

"I seem more dispensable than others and that hurts a fair bit. My record is pretty solid, I average close to 48 domestically and I thought I went pretty well last summer up until the Aussies arrived."

Sinclair was dropped after one-day scores of 0 and 15.

During the contract period Sinclair compiled 170 test runs at 28.3, highlighted by a gutsy 69 in Brisbane, and 239 limited overs runs at 34.14.

* The 20-strong list of players announced by NZC today, who are contracted for the next twelve months:

Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Craig Cumming, Stephen Fleming, James Franklin, Chris Harris, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Lou Vincent, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman.

- NZPA