Devon Conway and Blair Tickner have returned to New Zealand’s 20-strong list of centrally contracted players for 2026-27, replacing leg-spinner Adi Ashok and batter-keeper Muhammad Abbas. The changes were confirmed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Wednesday and cover the period from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.
Key movements
• Kane Williamson has formally retired from international cricket after a year on a casual deal.
• Michael Bracewell and Mark Chapman stay on the main contract sheet but, at their own request, will not be ranked for Test cricket – both prefer to focus on the white-ball formats over the next 12 months.
• Conway, 34, comes off a two-year stint as a casual pick-and-choose player and has declared himself available for every series, home and away.
• Tickner, 33, wins a first full contract on the back of strong multi-format displays, including a maiden international five-for against Ireland in Stormont last month.
Why Tickner?
Head coach Rob Walter had little hesitation. “Blair has worked extremely hard over the past few years and added new levels to his game,” Walter said. “He’s an excellent team man and has stepped into various roles for the side over the past few months and excelled in them.
“It’s important we continue to nurture that depth in our bowling stocks, especially with a heavy diet of red-ball cricket over the next 12 months, so to have Blair contracted full-time will help maintain that depth.”
Tickner’s numbers back that up: four-plus wickets in five of his last eight international innings, a knack for late movement with the Dukes ball in England and decent control with the Kookaburra at home. He also offers handy lower-order runs – still a bonus in the Test arena, never mind limited-overs play.
Conway’s return
Walter was equally clear on Conway. “Devon has been a regular member of the side in all three formats for some time now, even whilst on a casual contract, so it’s great to have a player of his calibre back on the central contract list, especially with the amount of exciting cricket coming up.”
For context: Conway spent the past two seasons juggling national duties with short T20 stints abroad, yet still averaged 42 in Tests and struck at nearly 135 in T20Is. His willingness to commit fully should give selectors a settled top order heading into the next World Test Championship cycle and a busy white-ball calendar.
Who missed out?
Ashok slips off the list after limited opportunities behind established spinners, while Abbas pays for a lean domestic summer with the bat. Both could yet earn casual agreements; NZC says conversations are ongoing and an update is “expected in the coming weeks”.
Retentions and youngsters
All-format all-rounder Zak Foulkes and wicketkeeper-bat Mitchell Hay keep their contracts after debut seasons that saw them feature in every format. Their presence, alongside fellow youngsters Will O’Rourke and Ben Sears, points to a gradual refresh behind the senior core.
Full 2026-27 men’s central contracts
Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young.
A quick note on terminology: a “central contract” is NZC’s top-tier deal, essentially guaranteeing annual retainers and match fees; a “casual contract” sits below that, offered to players expected to appear only sporadically.
With Williamson stepping aside, Conway recommitted and Tickner rewarded, New Zealand move into the next cycle with an experienced spine and, crucially, room for emerging names to push through if form demands.
