Right-arm pace bowler Blair Tickner and top-order limited-over batter Finn Allen have got their first New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contracts, effectively filling the vacancies created by the departures of pace-bowling stalwart Trent Boult and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme, respectively.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tickner has played six ODIs and 11 T20s for the Black Caps, while 23-year-old Wellington batsman Allen has already represented his country in eight ODIs and 13 T20s.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Both featured on New Zealand's tours of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, and Allen also played in the most recent series in the West Indies and Australia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand coach Gary Stead said each of the newcomers to the central contracts list had been close to the top-20 announced in May, and had taken their opportunities in the interim.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Blair's been in Black Caps squads for all three formats over the past 12 months, which is testament to his progress," Stead was quoted as saying by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"He's a bowler who just keeps improving and we've been particularly impressed with his red-ball development, which saw him in the recent squads for the England and South Africa Tests. He knows the environment, understands his role, and bowls with good pace and aggression."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stead said Allen deserved his promotion on the basis of the skill-set he offered, and the form demonstrated so far.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Finn clearly has huge talent and potential," he said. "He's shown he's up to the international level in his limited opportunities to date. In particular, his match-winning 96 against West Indies on a difficult wicket in Barbados showed his class and maturity."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham was offered one of the available contracts but declined -- on the basis of pre-arranged agreements he had already struck with overseas domestic leagues.<\/p>\r\n\r\n