As the 2024-25 cricket season approaches, New Zealand's provincial teams have revealed their initial list of contracted players. Here’s a summary of the latest updates:
Central Districts
Central Hinds captain Natalie Dodd has chosen to sit out the upcoming season as she prepares for the birth of her first child later this year. Dodd, a top-order batter and wicketkeeper, was named Hinds Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2023. Since transferring to Central Districts from Northern Districts in 2018, she has been a key player, leading Hinds to victory in the 2018-19 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, where she was the tournament’s top run-scorer.
Hinds had a strong 2023-24 season, reaching the Super Smash final and achieving a mid-table finish in a rain-affected one-day campaign.
Dave Meiring, Central Districts' high-performance manager, expressed the team's joy for Dodd and her husband during this significant time in their lives, fully supporting her decision to focus on family. He noted that while Dodd isn't retiring, her absence opens up opportunities for other players to step up.
For the first time, seam bowler Anna Gaging has been awarded a Central Hinds contract, joining her identical twin sister, Kate. Anna, who debuted in the 2020-21 season, took her first four-wicket haul against Northern Districts in this year's Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
The initial contract list includes 12 players, with one more to be added later this month. While the captain has yet to be announced, New Zealand international Hannah Rowe, who has led the team before, is part of the squad.
Returning players include young talents Aniela Apperley, Emma McLeod, and Flora Devonshire, who all made the list last season.
Contracted Players: Aniela Apperley, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Flora Devonshire, Anna Gaging, Kate Gaging, Claudia Green, Mikaela Greig, Ashtuti Kumar, Emma McLeod, Thamsyn Newton, Kerry Tomlinson
NZC Contracts: Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe
Canterbury
Allrounder Kate Anderson returns to Canterbury’s domestic list after missing out on a central contract with NZC for the 2024-25 season. Spin-bowling allrounder Harriet Graham, who has been part of the wider squad in recent seasons, has earned her first domestic contract, despite playing just three matches last season in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
Head coach Rhys Morgan emphasised the importance of developing young talent, noting that the experience of senior players will be crucial in helping younger players grow and contribute to the team's success.
Contracted Players: Kate Anderson, Sarah Asmussen, Missy Banks, Natalie Cox, Jodie Dean, Harriet Graham, Abigail Hotton, Laura Hughes, Frankie Mackay, Izzy Sharp, Jess Simmons, Gabby Sullivan
Auckland
Legspinner Rishika Jaswal and batter Cate Pedersen have been added to Auckland’s contract list after making their debuts last season. Batter Anika Todd has also earned her first contract after progressing through Auckland's development system. Pedersen previously played for Central Hinds before joining Auckland last season.
Notable absentees include all-rounder Skye Bowden, who has joined Northern Districts after six years with Auckland Hearts, and Anna Browning, who has moved to Otago for the upcoming season.
Contracted Players: Olivia Anderson, Bella Armstrong, Elizabeth Buchanan, Prue Catton, Amie Hucker, Bree Illing, Kate Irwin, Rishika Jaswal, Cate Pedersen, Josie Penfold, Saachi Shahri, Anika Todd
Northern Districts
Allrounder Marina Lamplough has received her first domestic contract after joining Northern Districts last season, having previously represented Otago and Hong Kong. She played in all ten Super Smash matches last summer, taking six wickets.
Pace-bowling all-rounder Jesse Prasad is another new addition to the squad. After spending four years with Auckland, she moved to Northern Districts last season and featured in ten matches across formats.
Wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout returns to the contract list after retiring from international cricket in May.
Contracted Players: Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Caitlin Gurrey, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp, Jess Watkin, Jesse Prasad, Kayley Knight, Marama Downes, Marina Lamplough, Nensi Patel, Shriya Naidu, Tash Wakelin
Wellington
Wellington Under-19 captain Rachael Bryant has been awarded her first contract. The offspinner led her team to victory in the national Under-19 tournament during the 2022-23 season and made her debut for Wellington Blaze shortly after, in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
Contracted Players: Antonia Hamilton, Caitlin King, Hannah Francis, Jess McFadyen, Kate Chandler, Leigh Kasperek, Tash Codyre, Nicole Baird, Phoenix Williams, Rachel Bryant, Rebecca Burns, Xara Jetly
Otago
Fast bowler Louisa Kotkamp and allrounder Harriet Cuttance have received their first domestic contracts.
Kotkamp, who represented New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa last year, made her domestic debut for Otago in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in February. Cuttance, a product of Otago's development system, made her domestic debut in the 2022 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final.
Anna Browning, a former New Zealand Under-19 opener and Auckland pathway product, has also moved to Otago for the upcoming season. Browning played a key role in New Zealand’s run to the semi-finals of the 2023 Under-19 World Cup.
Contracted Players: Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Harriet Cuttance, Chloe Deerness, Olivia Gain, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Felicity Robertson, Molly Loe, PJ Watkins, Saffron Wilson