New Zealand’s central contracts list has undergone some adjustments, with Devon Conway transitioning to a different contract type, while Finn Allen has declined a short-form central contract.
Both players cited their interest in exploring franchise cricket opportunities as the reason for these changes.
“Short-format batter Finn Allen has turned down a central contract offer to focus on franchise opportunities and has not been offered a casual playing contract.
Allen will remain available for the BLACKCAPS, and his selection for upcoming squads will be determined on a case-by-case basis,” stated New Zealand Cricket (NZC).
Meanwhile, Conway, who is set to participate in the SA20 league in January, has opted for a “casual contract,” according to NZC.
As a result, he will not be available for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which coincides with the SA20 in January.
“This arrangement ensures that the 33-year-old is available for all nine of the BLACKCAPS’ upcoming Test matches, as well as the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February, and the tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa leading up to it.
The decision to offer Conway a casual playing contract was made after he committed to playing for the BLACKCAPS outside of the January window, participating in key warm-up games ahead of the Champions Trophy, and managing his workload with scheduled breaks,” explained NZC.
Conway expressed that the decision was made with his family’s well-being in mind.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank New Zealand Cricket for their support through this process.
The decision to move away from a central playing contract isn’t one I’ve taken lightly, but I believe it is the best for me and my family at this present time.
Playing for the BLACKCAPS is still the pinnacle for me, and I’m hugely passionate about representing New Zealand and winning games of international cricket,” he said.
NZC’s CEO, Scott Weenik, emphasized that the contract adjustments were made to retain top talent.
“In the current environment, it’s important to have flexibility in our system to navigate some of the challenges posed by franchise cricket—and this is another example of how we’re working hard to retain our best players,” he stated.
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