Explosive Kieran Noema-Barnett is the last man into the Central Districts Stags fold but the word is not to read too much into it.
While coach Alan Hunt hasn't seen Noema-Barnett perform he expected the 22-year-old Napier Old Boys' Marist allrounder to step up as a 12th-ranked player on the contracted
list of CD's quota this summer.
"He is a short-form player but there's more than that to him," Hunt told SportToday before the Stags jet off to South Africa on Thursday next week for the Twenty20 Champions Trophy.
"There's a larger group of contracted players for the Plunket Shield [four-day campaign] so it's up to him to post big scores on the board and, like most cricketers, he has to earn his place," Hunt said, adding the minor union matches would also offer players the opportunity to make their statement.
Dunedin born-and-bred Noema-Barnett is a former age-group international who moved up north three years ago with his parents to Palmerston North after a T20 stint with the Otago Volts.
The Stags have retained the most players from last season's list - nine - while the Auckland Aces are on the other end of the scale with six.
CD Cricket CEO Hugh Henderson said New Zealand Cricket's ranking system gave "double weighting" to shield performers.
"We'd love to have handed out 14 to 15 contracts as all our cricketers are worthy ... ," said Henderson.
By missing out on contracts, the players lost about $1400 on the base payment.
Payments will be adjusted when the new collective contract kicks in soon.
As a reference point, under the old deal the top-ranked players received a $37,000 retainer - a No 12 got around $20,000.
On top of that match fees were about $450 for every T20 game; $700 for a one-dayer and $1450 for a first-class appearance.
The six major associations on Tuesday completed their lists of 12 contracted players. Each association had offered between nine to 11 contracts in the first round early this month, with the final one or two places filled on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Auckland opted for fast bowler Gareth Shaw and promising batsman Dusan Hakaraia, Canterbury named Carl Frauenstein, Northern Districts Anurag Verma while Wellington injected young allrounders Harry Boam and Malaesaili Tugaga.
Otago roped in batsman Darren Broom.
The CD squad also marks the return of Cornwall Cricket Club seamer Mitchell McClenaghan after a prolonged hip injury and his ensuing surgery that robbed him of a lion's share of the 2009-10 season.
McClenaghan had bowled while injured, Hunt said, so he underwent major rehabilitation and was 90-95 per cent fit for the Champions League.
"We'll get good out of him but he'll have to be managed well, like all other players, so that he doesn't blow out."
It wasn't ideal to go with out a spinner and Hunt is resting his hopes on young batsman George Worker who can roll his arm.
"He didn't have a great year in the Plunket Shield but he's only 21," Hunt said of Worker who he sees as a No 2 bowler and top-six batsmen.
The shield competition starts on November 9, with the HRV Cup T20 taking over from December 2 to January 2, followed by the one-dayers.
Last season's CD wicketkeeper, Bevan Griggs, who became surplus to requirements with the signing of former Canterbury skipper Kruger van Wyk, is reported to be heading to play club cricket in Auckland, who don't have a specialist keeper in their squad after dropping veteran Chris Nevin.
CD left-armer Ewen Thompson, a never-arriving ball wizard who opened in tandem with fellow veteran seamer Michael Mason, has retired.
Full list on right.
Explosive Kieran Noema-Barnett is the last man into the Central Districts Stags fold but the word is not to read too much into it.
While coach Alan Hunt hasn't seen Noema-Barnett perform he expected the 22-year-old Napier Old Boys' Marist allrounder to step up as a 12th-ranked player on the contracted
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