Movement of players within New Zealand’s domestic cricket has resulted in a re-balancing of player experience, especially when international players are taken out of the picture.One of the aims of the player contract system was to have the best 66 players in the country looked after by way of security provided by a contract. But, in actual fact, 88 players are catered for, the number being bolstered by 20 players on international contracts and two overseas qualified players.The breakdown of international players in associations is significant. The list reads: Auckland (five), Canterbury (seven), Central Districts (two), Northern Districts (five), Otago (0) and Wellington (one). Central Districts and Otago also have Craig Spearman and Mohammad Wasim, respectively, as overseas contracted players.That puts significant pressure on Auckland, Canterbury and Northern Districts to have back-up players in their squads to cater for the absence of their international players and they have 16, 18 and 16 players respectively when the internationals are included with their domestic players.Combined experience of entire contracted squads:
Players Tests ODIs FC LAAuckland 16 79 190 740 951Canterbury 18 221 779 1015 1705Central Districts 14 43 127 536 700Northern Districts 16 91 250 672 899Otago 12 19 29 530 490Wellington 12 90 270 683 910
Just what having a high contribution rate of international players can mean to a side is demonstrated in Canterbury’s case. Without their internationals, Canterbury’s remaining 11 players total 329 first-class games between them, and 322 List A one-day matches.The seven internationals among them have 686 first-class matches between them and 1383 List A matches. So when the majority of players are required for international matches, Canterbury can lose up to two-thirds of its experience in first-class play, and 80% in one-day matches. Admittedly, part of Canterbury’s numbers are affected by Chris Cairns’ play for Nottinghamshire.Auckland by comparison strikes a better balance. Its remaining players have 420 first-class games between them and 513 List A one-dayers. Their five internationals have 320 first-class games and 438 List A one-dayers experience between them.Wellington, with only one internationally contracted player, gains the advantage of having so few players involved, as it can call on a group of players with 524 first-class matches and 603 List A games. That is the most experience in both categories for all teams.Not surprisingly, given they have no international players contracted, Otago has the second highest number of first-class matches in their squad with 422, and third-highest with 406 in the List A games.Combined experience of domestic contracted squads:
—– internationals missing ——FC LA Players Tests ODIs FC LAAuckland 420 513 5 71 159 320 438Canterbury 329 322 7 205 769 686 1383Central Districts 293 324 2 24 73 122 202Northern Districts 370 341 5 76 237 302 558Otago 422 406 0 – – – -Wellington 524 603 1 75 202 159 307
Of those players it is interesting to note, the international experience that is included.Combined international experience of domestic squads:
Players Tests ODIsAuckland 4 8 31Canterbury 3 16 10Central Districts 2 0 3Northern Districts 2 15 13Otago 3 1 4Wellington 4 15 68
When the Black Caps are unavailable, the provinces will rely on 20 remaining players who have had international experience.Non-international contracted players with Test experience:
TestsCraig Spearman CD 19Mohammad Wasim O 18Matthew Hart ND 14Matthew Bell W 13Chris Martin C 11Brooke Walker A 5Gary Stead C 5Kerry Walmsley A 3James Franklin W 2David Sewell O 1Hamish Marshall ND 1
Non-international contracted players with ODI experience:
ODIsCraig Spearman CD 51Chris Nevin W 32Mohammad Wasim O 25James Franklin W 24Matthew Hart ND 13Llorne Howell A 12Brooke Walker A 11Paul Hitchcock A 8Matthew Bell W 7Chris Martin C 7Andrew Penn W 5Jeff Wilson O 4Glen Sulzberger CD 3Warren Wisneski C 3
The manner in which New Zealand has largely kept its Test side together, barring injuries in recent times, is reflected in the developing core of experience in the side.The list of most Tests played by the contracted Black Caps now reads: Stephen Fleming 75, Nathan Astle 57, Chris Cairns 55, Daniel Vettori 46, Craig McMillan 44, Matt Horne 35, Mark Richardson 24, Chris Harris 23, Mathew Sinclair 20, Paul Wiseman 16, Daryl Tuffey 14, Lou Vincent 11, Shane Bond 10, Robbie Hart 7, Scott Styris 5, Jacob Oram 4, Ian Butler 4, Andre Adams 1.Fleming, if he was to play every Test between the start of the India tour in September and the Bangladesh tour in October next year, would overtake Sir Richard Hadlee’s record of 86 Test appearances for New Zealand.He is also climbing the list of most appearances as a captain. He will share sixth with Steve Waugh when the Australian captain leads his side out at Cairns on Friday on 51 appearances, but by the time he plays six more Tests, Fleming will be third on the all-time list. Those ahead of him are: Allan Border 93, Clive Lloyd 74, Arjuna Ranatunga 56, Mike Atherton 54, Hansie Cronje 53.The list of most ODIs played by the contracted Black Caps reads: Chris Harris 230, Stephen Fleming 202, Nathan Astle 174, Chris Cairns 167, Craig McMillan 130, Daniel Vettori 111, Scott Styris 64, Lou Vincent 56, Daryl Tuffey 51, Matt Horne 50, Jacob Oram 40, Mathew Sinclair 33, Andre Adams 28, Shane Bond 27, Brendon McCullum 26, Kyle Mills 21, Paul Wiseman 15, Ian Butler 9, Mark Richardson 4, Robbie Hart 2.The first-class, List A and combined match experience of all the international contractees as well as the top 20 domestic/overseas players in each category are listed below.Most first-class matches played:
Chris Cairns 198Stephen Fleming 159Mark Richardson 128Nathan Astle 124Paul Wiseman 112Matt Horne 103Chris Harris 101Craig McMillan 98Robbie Hart 96Mathew Sinclair 86Daniel Vettori 80Scott Styris 54Daryl Tuffey 53Lou Vincent 40Jacob Oram 36Shane Bond 36Kyle Mills 26Andre Adams 23Ian Butler 19Brendon McCullum 17
Matthew Hart ND 122Craig Spearman CD 121Mohammad Wasim O 108Matthew Bell W 101Llorne Howell A 79Michael Parlane W 78Gary Stead C 78Craig Cumming O 67Glen Sulzberger CD 66Chris Gaffaney O 66Brooke Walker A 66Robbie Lawson O 64Warren Wisneski C 64Richard Jones W 64Andrew Penn W 63Aaron Barnes A 61Chris Nevin W 57James Marshall ND 55David Sewell O 55Chris Martin C 52
Most List A matches played:
Chris Harris 359Chris Cairns 342Stephen Fleming 307Nathan Astle 292Craig McMillan 217Daniel Vettori 160Scott Styris 136Robbie Hart 125Matt Horne 119Daryl Tuffey 114Mathew Sinclair 109Lou Vincent 105Jacob Oram 93Mark Richardson 91Paul Wiseman 85Andre Adams 65Kyle Mills 58Shane Bond 53Brendon McCullum 35Ian Butler 23
Craig Spearman CD 174Chris Nevin W 120Llorne Howell A 118Matthew Hart ND 109Michael Parlane W 106Aaron Barnes A 103Matthew Bell W 102Gary Stead C 90Mohammad Wasim O 84Robbie Lawson O 83Glen Sulzberger CD 74Chris Gaffaney O 73Warren Wisneski C 72Brooke Walker A 70Richard Jones W 65Andrew Penn W 60Hamish Marshall ND 58Campbell Furlong CD 56Gareth Hopkins O 56Matthew Walker W 55
Most combined first-class and List A matches played:
Chris Cairns 540Stephen Fleming 466Chris Harris 460Nathan Astle 416Craig McMillan 315Daniel Vettori 240Matt Horne 222Robbie Hart 221Mark Richardson 219Paul Wiseman 197Mathew Sinclair 195Scott Styris 190Daryl Tuffey 167Lou Vincent 145Jacob Oram 129Shane Bond 89Andre Adams 88Kyle Mills 84Brendon McCullum 52Ian Butler 42
Craig Spearman CD 295Matthew Hart ND 231Matthew Bell W 203Llorne Howell A 197Mohammad Wasim O 192Michael Parlane W 184Chris Nevin W 177Gary Stead C 168Aaron Barnes A 164Robbie Lawson O 147Glen Sulzberger CD 140Chris Gaffaney O 139Brooke Walker A 136Warren Wisneski C 136Richard Jones W 129Andrew Penn W 123Craig Cumming O 121Gareth Hopkins O 107James Marshall ND 103Hamish Marshall ND 100
