Devon Conway and Blair Tickner have been named in New Zealand Cricket's central contract list for the 2026-27 period, with the top-order batter and pace bowler replacing Adithya Ashok and Muhammad Abbas in a 20-player squad. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the announcement on Wednesday, 17 June.

Conway's Return After Two Years

Devon Conway rejoins the central contract list after spending two years on a casual playing agreement, having accumulated 146 international caps and more than 6,000 runs across all formats during that time. The left-handed batter has remained a regular fixture in New Zealand's line-up throughout that period and will now be available for all international fixtures during the contracting window running from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.

Head Coach Rob Walter welcomed Conway's return, noting his consistent presence despite operating outside the formal contract structure. '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,' Walter said.

Tickner Earns Full-Time Deal on Form

Blair Tickner earned his recall through sustained performances across all formats for both the Central Stags and the national side. The pace bowler has claimed four or more wickets in five of his last eight innings for New Zealand, with a maiden international five-wicket haul arriving last month against Ireland in the one-off Test at Stormont.

Walter highlighted the importance of Tickner's inclusion ahead of a demanding stretch of red-ball cricket. 'Blair has worked extremely hard over the past few years and added new levels to his game. He's an excellent team man and has stepped into various roles for the side over the past few months and excelled in them,' the head coach said. Walter added that maintaining bowling depth would be critical over the next 12 months, making Tickner's full-time contract particularly timely.

Foulkes and Hay Retain Their Places

Zak Foulkes and Mitch Hay have both held on to their contracts after earning spots on the list for the first time last year. Foulkes has already played 36 internationals and contributed prominently across formats, including seven wickets in the one-day series win against England. Wicketkeeper-batter Hay, who holds 23 caps, made his Test debut in Wellington against the West Indies in December, scoring 61 runs from his solitary innings and taking three catches behind the stumps.

White-Ball Specialists and Williamson's Exit

Michael Bracewell and Mark Chapman both requested not to be ranked in Test cricket and remain on the list as white-ball specialists. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson's recent retirement from international cricket means he will not feature even as a casually contracted player — closing a significant chapter for New Zealand cricket.

Full Central Contract List 2026-27

The complete New Zealand men's central contract list for 2026-27 is: 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.

With a heavy schedule of Test cricket on the horizon, NZC's contracting decisions signal a clear intent to build depth across both batting and pace bowling departments heading into a pivotal year.