Players wait on a week of big calls at NZC

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Matt Henry taking wickets for Somerset. Getty Images

Heading into the pit of a winter might be a curious time to write about cricket, but it’s a delicately poised time for the sport here, with some culture-defining decisions imminent.

Top of the list in most people’s eyes will be the successor to Gary Stead as head coach, but of more importance, arguably, will be the appointment of a head of high-performance to replace Bryan Stronach.

Before those two appointments are announced — the coach is expected to be unveiled at the end of the week and the high-performance chief in the middle — NZC will announce the country’s 20 centrally contracted men’s players.

Presuming that the likes of Williamson, Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert will be on casual contracts, if contracted at all, here’s my best stab at the 20 cricketers who will be offered retainers and the order they will be offered in.

It’s not the way I would rank them, but instead I have attempted to create a portal into Gary Stead’s mind. What will be his parting gift to New Zealand?

When I was compiling this, it struck me how flimsy the list is compared to the ‘golden’ years. For example, Zak Foulkes and Rhys Mariu will probably get contracts. Do I think they’re good cricketers with above-average upside? Yes. Do I think it’s a sign that the nation’s cricketing stocks are in rude health that, with such a small body of work behind them, they’re already considered to be in the top 20? You can probably guess my answer to that.

Likewise, as I was siphoning through the names, it struck me that a player like Glenn Phillips could be in the top five. He’s an excitement machine, but in many respects remains a ‘luxury’ piece rather than a centrepiece.

Daryl Mitchell was ranked No 1 in the last contracting period. If it isn’t Matt Henry this time I’ll be shocked. Anyway, here goes:

1. Matt Henry

2. Rachin Ravindra

3. Daryl Mitchell

4. Glenn Phillips

5. Mitchell Santner

6. Will O’Rourke

7. Kyle Jamieson

This felt like the easiest part of the list to compile, as it probably should be. They’re all-format players, even if Santner’s selection in a test XI is probably conditions based. The only question mark would be around Jamieson’s readiness or capacity for test cricket, but if he and the selectors have confidence in his body, he remains a lethal part of any bowling armory.

The next seven or eight will surely be on the list somewhere, but it starts to get a bit trickier in terms of ordering them.