Cricket: Few surprises as associations name contracted players

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Long-serving provincial players Robbie Frew (Canterbury), Greg Loveridge and Martyn Sigley (Central Districts), Heath Davis (Auckland) and Wellington's Mark Jefferson are among players not contracted for the forthcoming season.

The six major associations yesterday named their contracted players for the forthcoming season with few surprises - and not many new faces.

Aaron Barnes, not considered good enough for a contract last season and who left at its end to live in Wales, has had a change of heart and will be playing for Auckland next season.

He will be joined by former internationals Kerry Walmsley and Paul Hitchcock, who have returned to Auckland after stints with Otago and Wellington respectively.

Along with the unlucky Davis, Richard Morgan (retired) and Bradley Nielsen (unavailable) are missing from the Auckland squad.

Michael Parlane's much-touted move to Wellington from Northern Districts to play alongside his brother Neal has been confirmed.

Also gone from ND are David Kelly (to Christchurch for study) and Simon Andrews, who is heading to Auckland. Neither have been offered contracts.

Northern have elevated Gareth Irwin, Mark Orchard and Grant Robinson from development programmes.

Central Districts, too, have named three younger players with Jamie How, Jesse Ryder and Greg Todd filling the gaps left by Loveridge - who is off to a teaching stint in India - and Sigley in their expanded 12-strong squad.

Otago have former Canterbury wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins and Robbie Lawson, who was not on last season's list.

Without Walmsley and the now-retired Shayne O'Connor, the southerners might be a bit short on pace bowlers.

The players named at the top of each association's list will receive a $23,000 retainer reducing at the lower-end to $10,000. All players - contracted or not - receive $1000 for each State Championship match (four-day) and $500 for State Shield (one-day) games.

A player at the higher end playing all matches could pocket $39,000 if his team won through to the Shield final.

New Zealand Cricket have already contracted 20 players able to play for their associations when international commitments permit.

Contracted players

* Auckland: Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning, Paul Hitchcock, Llorne Howell, Tim McIntosh, Rob Nicol, Craig Pryor, Gareth Shaw, Brooke Walker, Kerry Walmsley, Reece Young.

* Canterbury: Neil Broom, Wade Cornelius, Stephen Cunis, Andrew Ellis, Peter Fulton, Chris Martin, Michael Papps, Aaron Redmond, Gary Stead, Shanan Stewart, Warren Wisneski.

* Central Districts: Campbell Furlong, Bevan Griggs, Lance Hamilton, Brent Hefford, Jamie How, Peter Ingram, Michael Mason, Jesse Ryder, Andrew Schwass, Craig Spearman, Glen Sulzberger, Greg Todd.

* Northern Districts: Graeme Aldridge, Matthew Hart, Nick Horsley, Gareth Irwin, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Bruce Martin, Mark Orchard, Grant Robinson, Gareth West, Joseph Yovich.

* Otago: Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney, Gareth Hopkins, Robert Lawson, Nathan Morland, Marcel McKenzie, James McMillan, Warren McSkimming, David Sewell, Jordan Sheed, Muhammad Wasim, Jeff Wilson.

* Wellington: Matthew Bell, James Franklin, Richard Jones, Chris Nevin, Iain O'Brien, Michael Parlane, Neal Parlane, Jeetan Patel, Andrew Penn, Matthew Walker, Luke Woodcock.

* Players already contracted to NZC: Andre Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Ian Butler, Chris Cairns, Stephen Fleming, Chris Harris, Robbie Hart, Matt Horne, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent, Paul Wiseman.