Scott Weenink: New Zealand Cricket CEO calls for cricket season windows amid Kane Williamson's stepdown

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink is calling for dedicated windows for international and domestic cricket.

Black Cap Kane Williamson has turned down a central contract to pursue an overseas T20 league opportunity in January - but will still be available for most international fixtures.

Williamson follows Trent Boult in doing so, and with Lockie Ferguson to do the same, Weenink says it's vital to achieve a universal approach to the calendar.

"That's where I'd like to see us go. I think it's really important for the future of cricket that we get some windows agreed - which prioritise international cricket with domestic cricket playing around international cricket."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kane Williamson is stepping down as the All Black as
the black Caps captain. Rather, he's also turned down a
central contract with New Zealand Cricket. He's going to be
switching to a casual contract so that he can play
in overseas T twenty leagues over the next year whilst
still being available for black Caps selection. Scott Winning is
New Zealand Crickets CEO. Hey, Scott, did you see this coming?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
We've been talking with Caine for a while, so it
didn't come as a surprise.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
No, how long have you been talking to him about it.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
For about a month? Probably? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (00:30):
What about the Lockey Ferguson decision? Did you see that coming?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Again? You know when players sort of come towards the
end of their careers, you know, we know that they're
going to be looking at other opportunities. So I wasn't
aware Lockie was going to turn down a contract. But again,
it didn't really come as much of his surprise.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
He's not really at the end of his career, is he.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, he's been well, he's sort of, you know, mid thirties,
has been playing for New Zealand for well over ten
years and as a pace bowler. You know, you're probably
he's probably in the latter years, so to speak. I
hope Locke's not going to be offended by me saying that, obviously,
but you know, but look, there's still every opportunity that

(01:16):
Locke will play again for New Zealand. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
I was going to ask you that because you have
said in the press release that you committed to picking
Kine for the squad, but are you also committed to
picking Lockeye.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
So Cain will be on a casual plaining agreement and
we've talked to him about the matches that he's available for,
so he's as it turns out, he's essentially available for
the bulk of the international cricket that we've got coming
up this season. We haven't had a specific conversation with
Lockeye about what cricket he is available for.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Why not?

Speaker 2 (01:54):
He just hasn't raised that with us. And to be fair,
we wouldn't actually be talking about this now until the
contracts come out, but one of your fellow journalists managed
to get a scoop, so we've had to We've had
to come.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Out now, and that always explains what's going on now.
This is the future isn't it, Scott. I mean, our
best players are going to put the overseas money ahead
of the black shirt into the future, aren't they.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
I don't think so. Actually no, I think you know,
the black Caps, certainly the bulk of them still prioritize
playing for New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Can you say that they didn't even prioritize playing for
New Zealand and the T twenty World Cup the other day?

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Of course they did.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
They didn't they do any warm up games? Then?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Sorry I missed that.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Why didn't they do any warm up games? Then?

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Well, look, there was a confluence of issues around getting
the team over there around the end of the IPL.
So yeah, that was that. That was nothing to do
with their commitment to playing for New Zealand. It was
just unfortunate that we couldn't actually get in the practice

(03:04):
practice games and before the tournament started.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Do you think, like, do we need to maybe get
the cricket bosses to do some sort of delineation between
what is you know this this part of the calendar
is for playing for your national squad and this part
of the calendar is for making your big bucks. Would
that help?

Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, it's certainly what and that that's where I'd like
to see us to go. You know, I think it's
it's really important for the future of cricket that we
get some windows agreed which prioritize international cricket, with domestic
cricket playing around international cricket. Okay, might be the solution.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Hey, Scott, thank you very much, appreciate it. Scott when
in New Zealand Cricket CEO.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
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