Cricket: Southerners unhappy at missing contracts

Otago Cricket CEO Ross Dykes. Photo / Getty Images

The lack of Otago and Canterbury players offered New Zealand Cricket contracts has raised eyebrows in both southern associations.

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes was stunned that only two of his players were ranked in the top 20 in the country while their coach, Mike Hesson, described it as a "real kick in the guts".

Dykes, a former national selector, was disappointed batsman Neil Broom and seamer Ian Butler had lost their contracts while fringe candidate openers Aaron Redmond and Craig Cumming had missed out. It left Otago with the complex task of retaining its up-and-coming talent.

"We've had six players in the Black Caps last year and to think only two of them are now rated in the top 20 is pretty hard to stomach, quite frankly," Dykes told the Otago Daily Times.

"There will be some homegrown players who are now likely to miss out on a (provincial) contract. We are going to be faced with the dilemma of how we keep them because they are good enough players to be contracted by other teams."

Dykes said money earmarked for an overseas professional might be needed to help retain local players.

The good news was that off-spinner Nathan McCullum has snared a first national contract, joining brother Brendon.

Hesson was most surprised about Butler's omission.

"He was a very good performer for New Zealand last year and only missed out on one one-day series. He was a regular member of the team and had matchwinning performances."

He acknowledged Broom and Redmond were both "swing" selections but said Broom had been "manoeuvered around a heck of a lot" in the order while Redmond tended to get selected when he was fit.

The situation is more bleak at Canterbury, where no players from the association were contracted. Five years ago, Canterbury provided nine of the 20 top-ranked players.

Canterbury coach Bob Carter was not as downcast as his southern counterparts.

"We certainly had high hopes for (batsmen) Shanan (Stewart) and Rob (Nicol) and lobbied strongly for them with the selectors. But I think we are building the base to get more players to force their way in next time," he told The Press.

"Things can change pretty quickly from year to year with the contracts and it's not all doom and gloom."

- NZPA