Last month, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) released the list of players who had been offered central contracts for the upcoming season. At the time, the most significant news was that star player Kane Williamson had made himself unavailable for one, instead opting for a casual playing contract.
Devon Conway opts for casual playing contract
On Thursday (August 15), the NZC announced via a press release that left-handed batter Devon Conway had not accepted a central contract. Like Williamson, he would receive a casual playing contract for 2024/25. As part of the agreement, Conway will be available for all of New Zealand's international fixtures in the next twelve months, apart from their six white-ball games against Sri Lanka in January.
Conway was recently signed by SA20 side Joburg Super Kings for the upcoming season of the league. SA20 2025 is set to take place across January and February, which is presumably why Conway opted for a casual contract instead of a central contract. Williamson had also cited the SA20 as his reason for turning down the central contract, having been signed by Durban's Super Giants.
"We’re delighted with Devon’s decision to commit to the BLACKCAPS," said NZC CEO Scott Weenink. "He’s a quality player who’s made a strong contribution to the team over the past few years. 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."
Hear from Devon Conway on his decision to opt for a casual playing agreement for the upcoming season and his excitement to represent the BLACKCAPS in the upcoming Test series' against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Read more | https://t.co/Hh2yQjinmL pic.twitter.com/O5mRegTCxu
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) August 15, 2024
Finn Allen opts out of New Zealand contract
Another New Zealand player to have turned down the central contract is 25-year-old Finn Allen. He was not offered a casual playing contract either, and has opted to focus on franchise opportunities instead. A regular on the global T20 circuit for over three years now, Allen most recently represented San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket.
Read more: Ben Stokes signed by MI Cape Town for SA20 2025
NZC confirmed that Allen remains available for national team selection, but on a case-by-case basis. An announcement on the two players to replace Allen and Conway on the central contract playing list is also set to come soon.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
