NZ cricket contracts: The winners and losers

Michael Bates of the Aces bowling during the Plunket Shield four-day cricket match between the Auckland Aces and the Central Stags. Photo / Sarah Ivey.

Major association cricket contracts have been handed out to 14 players at each of the six provinces.

A 15th player will be offered a deal by August 10 to round out their rosters.

So who are the winners, or losers out of the wheeling and dealing...

Auckland: They've lost seasoned batsman Anaru Kitchen to Otago while Carl Cachopa has opted to stay in England. Contracts have gone to two up-and-comers, Glenn Phillips and Shawn Hicks.

Northern Districts: One notable absentee is veteran seamer Graeme Aldridge, who has retired at 36 after 123 first-class games for 364 wickets at an impressive 26.29. Veteran batsman Brad Wilson has trekked south to Otago, and young allrounder Mitchell Santner has graduated to the national contract list. Tony Goodin is gone as is Anurag Verma, but in the latter's case, only as far as Wellington.Legspinner Ish Sodhi, dropped from that national list, returns.

Central Districts: Simple. Jesse Ryder is back in his home province after stints at Wellington and, for the last couple of summers, Otago. With Jamie How having retired, CD can do with an experienced batsman, even if Ryder is largely restricted to Ford Trophy and Georgie Pie Super Smash limited overs cricket. A big summer awaits rising left arm seamer Ben Wheeler, who has already cracked the national team, while batsman Will Young is regularly singled out as a potential next middle order cab on the rank.

Wellington: The first name noticable because it's not there is former test quick Mark Gillespie. 'Dizzy' didn't fire last summer, and at 35 his days could be done. Upper Hutt allrounder Ollie Newton is a new face in a team with a new coach, former test batsman and national selection boss Bruce Edgar. Anurag Verma come in from ND.

Canterbury: Veteran one-day player Brendon Diamanti is gone from last summer's list, as is Neil Broom, who has returned to Otago after a short stint in Christchurch. There is room for promising batsman Leo Carter, son of well known coaching identity Bob Carter. Thirteen of last summer's 15 have been retained.

Otago: The batting is bolstered by the arrivals of Wilson and former one-day international Neil Broom, back after a short stint in Canterbury. But Ryder has gone as has former skipper, and international Aaron Redmond, who has retired.
First timers on the list are 18-year-old Josh Finnie and 20-year-old Michael Rae, both of whom played four games last summer. Craig Smith returns after a lengthy layoff with a back injury.

Rosters, with one name to be added:

Auckland: Michael Bates, Brad Cachopa, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Donovan Grobbelaar, Michael Guptill-Bunce, Shawn Hicks, Colin Munro, Tarun Nethula, Rob Nicol (c), Robert O'Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Matt Quinn, Jeet Raval.

ND: Cody Andrews, James Baker, Jono Boult, Dean Brownlie, Joe Carter, Anton Devcich, Daniel Flynn, Brett Hampton, Jono Hickey, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Bharat Popli, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.

CD: Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Greg Hay, Marty Kain, Andrew Mathieson, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Jesse Ryder, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Kruger van Wyk, Ben Wheeler, George Worker, Will Young.

Wellington: Brent Arnel, Brady Barnett, Tom Blundell, Alecz Day, Dane Hutchinson, Matt McEwan, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Michael Pollard, Matt Taylor, Anurag Verma, Luke Woodcock.

Canterbury: Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Leon Carter, Andrew Ellis, Peter Fulton, Cam Fletcher, Ronnie Hira, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Johnson, Cole McConchie, Ryan McCone, Henry Nicholls, Edward Nuttall, Logan van Beek.

Otago: Warren Barnes, Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Ryan Duffy, Josh Finnie, Anaru Kitchen, Michael Rae, Hamish Rutherford, Craig Smith, Sam Wells, Brad Wilson.