How Did Bree Illing and Bella James Secure Their First NZ Women's Central Contracts?

Christchurch, June 18 (NationPress) Left-arm seamer Bree Illing and batter Bella James have secured their first New Zealand women's central contracts for the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, veteran Sophie Devine has chosen a casual playing contract after announcing her retirement from ODI cricket post the 50-over World Cup later this year.

Illing and James are stepping into the roles vacated by the recently retired Hayley Jensen and Devine's casual agreement.

The 21-year-old Illing debuted in domestic cricket in 2022 and has swiftly risen through the ranks, now standing as the leading wicket-taker for the Auckland Hearts just three seasons into her career. Her left-arm swing has been formidable, amassing 29 wickets across formats this season, with 21 of those in the Hearts’ Hallyburton Johnstone (HBJ) Shield campaign at an average of 21, including two four-wicket hauls: 4-39 and 4-49.

Illing's impressive summer included her ODI and T20I debuts against Sri Lanka, where she captured six wickets across both series, notably dismissing visiting captain Chamari Athapaththu twice.

James’ contract follows years of dedication at the domestic level, culminating in her first international call-up nearly a decade after making her Sparks debut at just 16 years old in 2014.

She has been pivotal for the Otago Sparks batting lineup, consistently performing and helping the team secure back-to-back HBJ Shield titles. Her confidence shone through on her White Ferns debut, when she hit her first international boundary—a six—off Megan Schutt, who is ranked third in ODIs, during December’s Rosebowl series against Australia.

New Zealand Cricket’s Head of Women’s High Performance, Liz Green, remarked that the contracting round was highly competitive. “Congratulations to all 17 players. We’re particularly thrilled to welcome Bree and Bella onto the central contract list for the first time. They both truly deserve this recognition, and we can’t wait to see their contributions in what promises to be a significant year for the White Ferns with both ODI and T20 World Cups on the horizon,” said Green.

New Zealand women's head coach Ben Sawyer also praised Illing and James, stating, “Bree had a remarkable series against Sri Lanka. Her ability to stand up against a world-class batter like Chamari indicates she’s ready for international cricket. Bella has consistently performed at the domestic level and had a great debut series against Australia last year. She possesses the qualities we believe will lead to success at the international stage.”

The complete list of players centrally contracted for 2025-2026 includes: Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.