Alex Powell: 7 players NZ Cricket should turn to as Black Caps rebuild begins

The performance at this year’s T20 World Cup all but confirmed the end of New Zealand’s golden generation.

And to follow it up, the trio of Kane Williamson, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne have turned down the chance of central contracts for the coming season.

While NZC has responded by moving the likes of Rachin Ravindra and Will O’Rourke into the main contract list, it does feel like an opportunity lost to build for the future.

It is important to note contracts do not guarantee selection, nor does selection guarantee a contract, and this first lot are only offers that players can still turn down.

But here’s who can count themselves unlucky to not have an NZC contract for the coming year.

Nathan Smith, Wellington

The Wellington all-rounder was named New Zealand’s domestic player of the season for 2023-24, but is still to feature for the Black Caps.

The 25-year-old is more than capable with bat and ball, averaging in the mid-20s for both at first-class level.

Smith topped the wicket-taking charts in the Plunket Shield with 33 at an average of just over 17, to go with 13 at 19.15 in the T20 Super Smash, before a stint in English County Cricket with Worcestershire over the Kiwi winter, where he’s so far nabbed 27 wickets at 21.14.

There were many disappointed he wasn’t called up for the Black Caps’ season-ending tests against Australia, but there are potential worries over a perceived lack of pace for the highest level.

However, it feels like when and not if Smith wears the silver fern.

Dean Foxcroft, Otago

At 26, Dean Foxcroft looks to be the latest in a proud line of South Africa-born players to represent the Black Caps.

Another all-rounder, Foxcroft is arguably the type of player the Black Caps’ golden generation lacked — capable of batting in the top six and bowling a wicket-taking spin in Kiwi conditions.

A modest first-class batting record, where he averages 32.62, shows there’s probably more to come from Foxcroft, but has shown in the shortest format that he has plenty of ability.

Foxcroft is already capped at international level, with six appearances across T20s and ODIs, but Kane Williamson’s contract refusal could open the door over the coming summer.

Mitch Hay, Canterbury

Another uncapped player who seems destined for the highest level, Hay is already being talked about as a Black Caps wicketkeeper in waiting.

The 23-year-old Cantabrian averages over 40 in first-class cricket, and strikes at close to 150 in T20s. His only issue might be converting 50s into hundreds, with just one century as a professional cricketer.

The 20-strong Black Caps central contract offers list contained just one specialist gloveman in Tom Blundell, even if Tom Latham and Devon Conway are passable options in other forms of the game.

Definitely still not the finished article as a wicketkeeper, but that will come with time and experience. Investing in Hay now would be an option worth looking at for the powers that be.

Zak Foulkes, Canterbury

After a breakout season with the Kings in the Super Smash, Foulkes was handed his first Black Caps call-up for the tour of Pakistan this year.

At 22, Foulkes’ record with the ball at domestic level is outstanding, with his highest bowling average being 24.74 in first-class cricket.

Even though cricket appears to be moving towards a white-ball-centric model, Foulkes appears to have the potential to be a genuine all-format player.

What’s more, he’s more than handy with the bat, and has already scored two first-class 50s in the Plunket Shield from just 23 innings.

At a time where Kyle Jamieson just can’t seem to stay fit, Foulkes would be more than capable to fill that role for Gary Stead and co.

Dale Phillips, Otago

The younger brother of Black Cap Glenn, Dale Phillips’ future appears to be more suited to red-ball cricket.

While cricket shifts towards T20 as the dominant format, the younger Phillips looks to have nailed his colours to the mast in the hunt to play tests.

In 15 innings, he notched 686 runs at 49, with two centuries. No player in the competition hit more boundaries than his 102.

A career first-class batting average of 39 probably doesn’t do his ability justice, but that number is increasing, and will only continue to do so.

The Black Caps contract offers list contains more than one test specialist, so NZ Cricket is clearly not opposed to ring-fencing players to solely play the longest format.

Muhammad Abbas, Wellington

At only 20, Abbas is the youngest player on this list and arguably has the highest ceiling.

The son of former Pakistan bowler Azhar Abbas, Muhammad — colloquially known as “Mu” — has chosen to represent New Zealand and is a fixture in Wellington’s middle order.

The right-hander scored 450 runs in the Plunket Shield last season, and has already featured for New Zealand A against Australia A, even if he didn’t get the returns he’d have liked.

Admittedly, 20 might be too young to blood Abbas right away, even if that was the age Kane Williamson made his test debut against India.

But in the likes of Williamson, Tim Southee, Brendon McCullum among others, there’s a more-than-fair argument in the value of throwing him to the wolves and letting him learn his game at the highest level.

Adithya Ashok, Auckland

New Zealand has been well served by Ish Sodhi as our frontline T20 specialist spinner over the last decade, that’s not up for debate.

But should selectors cast their eye to the future, Ashok stands tall as the best prospect going around.

The 21-year-old India-born leg-spinner has already made his ODI and T20 debuts against Bangladesh and the UAE respectively, so is clearly on selectors’ radar.

However, he was also taken to by Brendon McCullum’s England playing for a New Zealand XI last year, showing there is still plenty to work on.

Spinners more than any other kind of cricketer need faith to be shown in them, and Ashok is no different.

Injury woes could limit his involvement over the coming months, but Ashok is more than worth investing in as the Black Caps move towards a new era.

NZ Cricket contract offers:

Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, 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, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Will Young