Cricket Wellington announces first eleven contracted players

Cricket Wellington Media Release
Friday 22 July 2011

Cricket Wellington announces first eleven contracted
players for 2011-12

Cricket Wellington has announced its first eleven contracted players for the 2011-12 season.

These players are:

Joe Austin-Smellie
Harry Boam
Josh Brodie
Grant Elliott
James Franklin
Mark Gillespie
Stephen Murdoch
Iain O'Brien
Michael Papps
Jeetan Patel
Stewart Rhodes

There is one player to be added to complete Wellington's complement of 12 contracted players. This player will be announced in the second round of the contracting process on 9 August.

Wellington Firebirds Chief Executive Gavin Larsen says he is pleased with how the contracting process has unfolded over the last couple of months.

"Our Wellington Firebirds selectors have completed a very thorough and professional process," said Larsen. "This is the start of a new and hopefully successful era for the Firebirds. The bar is being set higher in terms of player responsibility, and this very strong group of contracted players needs to now lead the way both on and off the park. Our selectors have had to make some tough decisions this year, and now our contracted players need to respond with consistent match-winning performances."

Cricket Wellington Director of Cricket Robbie Kerr is very happy with the squad. "We're delighted with the strength of our squad and very conscious of the need to significantly raise our standards," said Kerr. "In Jamie Siddons we have an excellent new coach, and players will need to be very accountable on and off the park."

"We're also pleased with the healthy number of home grown players named in this year's Firebirds group, with eight of our first 11 players born and bred Wellingtonians."

Stephen Murdoch and Stewart Rhodes are included on Wellington's contracted player list for the first time while former BLACKCAPS opening bowler Iain O'Brien returns after a season and a half away from the New Zealand game.

Two other changes from last year include the retirement of Matthew Bell, who hung up his boots midway through last summer, and the recent elevation of Luke Woodcock to a New Zealand Cricket central contract.

Other players who were contracted last year but who have missed inclusion in the first group of eleven are Dewayne Bowden, Leighton Burtt, Cameron Merchant, Neal Parlane, Malaesaili Tugaga, Andrew Lamb and Michael Pollard (Lamb and Pollard received elevated contracts during the previous season).

"We were surprised and disappointed at James Franklin's and Grant Elliott's omissions from the New Zealand Cricket contract list and this has unfortunately denied two players the opportunity for Wellington contracts," said Kerr.

"Elliott will again captain the side. He is a tremendous leader and an exceptional role model for all of our players. I wouldn't trade him for any other player in the New Zealand domestic competition.

"We are thrilled to have Iain O'Brien back playing for Wellington. He is a world class performer who is determined to make a big impact on his return home.

"Murdoch receives his first Wellington contract. He has worked extremely hard over a number of years and thoroughly deserves this after some outstanding performances last season.

"Rhodes is an extremely versatile player who can bat anywhere from one to seven in all three formats. He is one of the best fielders in the country and also has the ability to bowl useful medium pace and is also developing into a spin bowler."

ends

© Scoop Media