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Phillips, Mitchell offered their New Zealand central contracts; Ajaz Patel omitted

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Last updated on 14 May 2021 | 04:25 AM
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Phillips, Mitchell offered their New Zealand central contracts; Ajaz Patel omitted

Left-arm Orthodox spinner Patel missed the start of the last season with a calf injury

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) have announced a 20-man Central contract list for 2021-22 in which Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell have been offered their first central contract. While BJ Watling, who has announced that he will retire after the World Test Championship final, has been omitted from the list along with Ajaz Patel who had earned his first contract last year.

"I'd like to congratulate all the players offered agreements for the coming season and in particular newcomers Daryl and Glenn," New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said in a media release. "Receiving your first national contract is a great moment in any player's career and both thoroughly deserve their elevation.

"There's no question Daryl and Glenn took their games to another level over the summer and have added to the growing depth of talent we now enjoy."

Left-arm Orthodox spinner Patel missed the start of the last season with a calf injury and even though he made a subsequent comeback, he was never picked in the Test side again in the entire year. However, he is in the squad for the England Test series, starting early June, alongside Mitchell Santner and uncapped Rachin Ravindra. 

"After such a successful summer in which we used a variety of players across the three formats, there was always going to be a squeeze on for positions and, unfortunately, Ajaz has been a victim of that success," Larsen said.

"He missed the start of the Test season with his calf injury and was unable to make it back into the side during a summer in which seam and swing dominated. However, we are well aware of Ajaz's value as a frontline spinner, particularly in overseas conditions and he's therefore still very much in our thinking going forward."

NZ contracts list for 2021-22

Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

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