Nathan Smith and Josh Clarkson Join New Zealand’s Central Contract List for 2024/25 Season
Wellington [New Zealand], September 3: New Zealand has finalized their central contract list for the 2024/25 season, with all-rounders Nathan Smith and Josh Clarkson earning the final two spots in the 20-player list.
The pair has been promoted to the central contract list for the first time due to their strong performances at the domestic level. Clarkson has also impressed during nine international white-ball appearances for the Kiwis over the last 12 months. He has played three ODIs and six T20Is, scoring a total of 65 runs in five innings with a best score of 38* and taking four wickets.
Smith was the standout performer at Wellington during the most recent Plunket Shield season, topping the wicket-taking charts with 33 scalps in 12 innings and scoring 245 runs in 11 innings, including two half-centuries in seven matches.
The promotion of Smith and Clarkson leaves New Zealand with 20 players on central contracts for the coming season, following the decision by Devon Conway and Finn Allen to decline the option last month.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead said Smith and Clarkson deserved their first central contract and believes the duo can make an impact at the international level over the coming months if they win selection. “Nathan’s been on our radar for a while having been a significant performer in domestic cricket for some time,” Stead said. “He has been particularly impressive in red-ball cricket and we think he has the skills to be successful in international cricket when he gets a chance.”
Stead also praised Clarkson’s recent international performances. “Josh has been involved in both white ball squads over the past twelve months which shows the strides he has made in his game,” he said. “He is a hard-hitting player with plenty of skills and has shown in his chances so far that he can offer a lot with bat and ball on the international stage.”
“Josh will provide depth and add value given the volume of white-ball cricket on the horizon,” Stead concluded.
New Zealand 2024-25 Central Contract List:
Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young.
Doubts Revealed
Nathan Smith -: Nathan Smith is a cricket player from New Zealand who is good at both batting and bowling, which is called an all-rounder.
Josh Clarkson -: Josh Clarkson is another cricket player from New Zealand who also excels in both batting and bowling.
Central Contract List -: This is a list of players who are chosen by the cricket board to represent the country and get paid for it.
2024/25 Season -: This refers to the cricket season that starts in the year 2024 and ends in 2025.
White-ball matches -: These are cricket matches played with a white ball, usually in shorter formats like One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20s (T20s).
Plunket Shield -: The Plunket Shield is a first-class cricket competition in New Zealand, which means it is a high-level domestic tournament.
Gary Stead -: Gary Stead is the coach of the New Zealand national cricket team.
Tom Blundell -: Tom Blundell is a well-known cricket player from New Zealand, usually playing as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
Michael Bracewell -: Michael Bracewell is another famous cricket player from New Zealand, known for his all-round abilities.
Tim Southee -: Tim Southee is a very famous fast bowler from New Zealand who has played many matches for the country.
