New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is facing a crisis since its players are refusing to sign central contracts and going to T20 leagues. Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, and now Jimmy Neesham have refused to sign the central contract and instead, they’re keener on playing T20 leagues. Neesham was offered the contract after the release of Boult and Grandhomme. Just like them, Neesham too turned down the offer. The Black Caps haven’t yet announced their T20 World Cup squad.
The NZC Board said, ‘Neesham has contracted arrangement with overseas domestic leagues and can’t accept the NZC Contract’.
“Playing for the @blackcapsnz has been the greatest honour of my career and I remain committed to taking the field with my countrymen for the foreseeable future, especially in pinnacle world events,” he added.
New Zealand is the only country to that qualified directly for the T20 World Cup but hasn’t announced its squad. The deadline given by ICC was September 15, however, NZC has requested that they’ll announce their squad on September 20.
On the other hand, Blair Tickner and Finn Allen have accepted their New Zealand Cricket’s central contacts. They will now be playing in the places of Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme.
Allen is yet to be named in the squad and as per reports, he will be named on Tuesday for the WC T20 squad that will be held in Australia, this October and November. Youngster Allen Tickner have played 13 T20Is for New Zealand and was a part of the final game of their 3-0 ODI series defeat to Australia. He has played six ODIs and 11 T20s and was featured in the tours of Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands along with Allen.
“He’s [Tickner] a bowler who just keeps improving and we’ve been particularly impressed with his red-ball development, which saw him in the recent squads for the England and South Africa tests.” -head coach Gary Stead said.
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