August 15, 2024 • 7 mins
New Zealand Cricket are disappointed in Black Cap Finn Allen's decision to decline a central contract, but say there's a silver lining.
Meanwhile, Devon Conway has taken a casual deal in order to play in South Africa's domestic T20 league, but will be available for New Zealand selection outside the January window.
NZ Cricket CEO Scott Weenink joined D'Arcy to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildergrave
from News Talk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on news TALKSZB by a chief executive
of New Zealand Cricket, Scott Winning. Scott, Welcome to the program.
Let's look at the situation at hand. Devin Conway Finn
Allen have opted out of New Zealand Cricket central contracts.
They're looking to pursue franchise opportunities. Now this is not
new by any stretch the imagination. I feel that New
(00:33):
Zealand Cricket are almost at the forefront of understanding this
is the future of the game and they're not trying
to resist too much. Is that what you stand right
now with the futures of these players.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
But we're trying to take a really sensible and pragmatic
approach to contracting. It's fair to say that, you know,
we've worked into our contracting system a lot more flexibility
than other nations and a big part of the reason
for that is that we simply can't pay our players
the same level of money as other countries can, so
(01:06):
we have to be flexible. But also, you know, there
is a there is a you know, a point where
we draw a line on the sand, and you know,
there's an expectation around commitments and loyalty and availability that
we that we can't cross over.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when you set a precedent which is six to
what you're doing, you do have a level at which
you set that up because it can set up other
players going, well, it was good for the goose, good
for the gander. So there is a line in the
sand that they're all aware of. What does that line
move depending on the player concerned.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, I mean, look, selection in sport, and particularly selection
and cricket always has some subjectivity around it, and certainly
in terms of our contracting system and in particularly in
terms of casual plane arrangements, there is some subjectivity to it.
If you look at the two guys that have been
(02:00):
granted casual playing contracts this this year. You know, Came
Williams is one of our best ever. He's a three
formats player and we expect him to actually play, you know,
about ninety percent of the matches that New Zealand has
on this this year. And Devin Conways similarly a three
(02:23):
format player. We expect him to play around ninety percent
of the matches hasn't hasn't played as long as Kane,
but you know, look he he is a world class
player also, so look, just by by the nature of it,
we do have to have some subjectivity around it.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Where does Fan Allen sit with all of this?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Well, Finellen is a is a younger player at the moment,
a y will and let me say this, a younger
player with a huge amount of talent that we see
that we would like to think would would potentially be
a three format player in the future. At the moment
he is only playing T twenties for for new for
the black Caps, He's probably pretty close to the ODI side.
(03:06):
But if we were picking our three teams tomorrow, it
would be only the T twenty format, where I imagine
Finn would be, you know, one of the first picks. Therefore,
when he came to us and said, look, I'd like
to hand in my contract this year, we looked at
our schedule and our schedule has nine Test matches, It
(03:30):
has a couple of white ball series against Sri Lanka
which made up of ODI I and T twenty, and
then we go to the Champions Trophy and the Try
and the Try series, which are ODI matches, so it
made sense for us to say, well, he's actually not
going to play a huge amount for New Zealand this
(03:50):
particular year. That all said, you know, we are disappointed.
We would much rather have him in our system and
we think it'll be much better for his cricket and
his future to be in our system. But we also
respect what he's doing and you know, never say never.
We hope that perhaps in the future he will he
(04:11):
will take a full contract at some point.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So the negotiation reasonably strong. From your point of view,
you would rather not have him go, but in essence
you have to acquiesce to their wants because it is
their career and their lives.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yet, yeah, that's right, and as I say, we are
supportive of our players making as much money as possible
during what is, you know, a short career as a
sports person. However, we also need to think about what's
best for New Zealand cricket and what's best for New
Zealand Cricket is ultimately trying to put our best players
(04:44):
out on the park, but also rewarding and being loyal
to those players that are loyal to us.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Scott when it joins US Chief Executive of New Zealand cricket.
What about overextending the abilities and the time of these players,
came Williamson, for example, given Conway a chance that they
might be overused and burn themse elves out playing the
short version of the game, do you do you bring
that into your calculations.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yes, so for each of our players, and this extends
beyond the twenty contract that includes the casual players and
also the sort of next running down, we have very
clear plans in place for them around the cricket bar, playing,
rest periods, et cetera. So yeah, there's always look, there's
(05:32):
a lot of cricket being played, and there's always a
danger of them over extending themselves, but we have clear
plans in place, and for example, with Devon, one of
the key reasons we agreed to a casual playing contract
with him is because we agreed a clear set of
criteria around rest periods as well to make sure that
(05:54):
when he does come and play for New Zealand, he
is in the in the best form and also physical
shape possible.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So in essence, you still very much control that narrative
around playtime and a rest time, even though they're not
contracted to you. And they fall into place because they
want to keep playing for the country.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The ones that are under casual playing contracts. Absolutely, it's
it's very similar to central contract in that respect.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
As far as being at the front of this, and
you touched on them before that other nations don't do
this this and you mentioned a pragmatic move. Do you
see this evolving further? Do you see a time where
maybe it becomes even looser than it is now? For
one of a better phrase, Scott.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Look, I don't at this stage. I think I think
the state that we're in at the moment is exactly
the right state for the state of international cricket and
obviously the domestic T twenty leagues that are popping up.
But never say never. The world of cricket is changing
rapidly and without a doubt it's going to look very
(07:01):
different than five years time, let alone ten years time,
so we need to continue to evolve with that. But
that said, I think we're in a good place. I
think the contracting system we've got in place, that we've
worked very hard with Heath Mills and the CPA to
put in place is the right one for the current circumstances.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Two spots available. Now, when do we find out who
they are? You got a likely couple of candidates, so
that Scott.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah, we do. Now, we won't necessarily offer two spots.
That's for us to work through. I can see us
probably offering at least one, but not necessarily too. I mean,
we have a number of players who sit below that
contracted list who are actually on twelve month contracts anyway,
they're on player of interest contracts. So we just need
(07:46):
to work out, you know, whether we offer two more
or one or none.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildergrave
from News Talk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll join now on news TALKSZB by a chief executive
of New Zealand Cricket, Scott Winning. Scott, Welcome to the program.
Let's look at the situation at hand. Devin Conway Finn
Allen have opted out of New Zealand Cricket central contracts.
They're looking to pursue franchise opportunities. Now this is not
new by any stretch the imagination. I feel that New
(00:33):
Zealand Cricket are almost at the forefront of understanding this
is the future of the game and they're not trying
to resist too much. Is that what you stand right
now with the futures of these players.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
But we're trying to take a really sensible and pragmatic
approach to contracting. It's fair to say that, you know,
we've worked into our contracting system a lot more flexibility
than other nations and a big part of the reason
for that is that we simply can't pay our players
the same level of money as other countries can, so
(01:06):
we have to be flexible. But also, you know, there
is a there is a you know, a point where
we draw a line on the sand, and you know,
there's an expectation around commitments and loyalty and availability that
we that we can't cross over.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when you set a precedent which is six to
what you're doing, you do have a level at which
you set that up because it can set up other
players going, well, it was good for the goose, good
for the gander. So there is a line in the
sand that they're all aware of. What does that line
move depending on the player concerned.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, I mean, look, selection in sport, and particularly selection
and cricket always has some subjectivity around it, and certainly
in terms of our contracting system and in particularly in
terms of casual plane arrangements, there is some subjectivity to it.
If you look at the two guys that have been
(02:00):
granted casual playing contracts this this year. You know, Came
Williams is one of our best ever. He's a three
formats player and we expect him to actually play, you know,
about ninety percent of the matches that New Zealand has
on this this year. And Devin Conways similarly a three
(02:23):
format player. We expect him to play around ninety percent
of the matches hasn't hasn't played as long as Kane,
but you know, look he he is a world class
player also, so look, just by by the nature of it,
we do have to have some subjectivity around it.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Where does Fan Allen sit with all of this?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Well, Finellen is a is a younger player at the moment,
a y will and let me say this, a younger
player with a huge amount of talent that we see
that we would like to think would would potentially be
a three format player in the future. At the moment
he is only playing T twenties for for new for
the black Caps, He's probably pretty close to the ODI side.
(03:06):
But if we were picking our three teams tomorrow, it
would be only the T twenty format, where I imagine
Finn would be, you know, one of the first picks. Therefore,
when he came to us and said, look, I'd like
to hand in my contract this year, we looked at
our schedule and our schedule has nine Test matches, It
(03:30):
has a couple of white ball series against Sri Lanka
which made up of ODI I and T twenty, and
then we go to the Champions Trophy and the Try
and the Try series, which are ODI matches, so it
made sense for us to say, well, he's actually not
going to play a huge amount for New Zealand this
(03:50):
particular year. That all said, you know, we are disappointed.
We would much rather have him in our system and
we think it'll be much better for his cricket and
his future to be in our system. But we also
respect what he's doing and you know, never say never.
We hope that perhaps in the future he will he
(04:11):
will take a full contract at some point.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So the negotiation reasonably strong. From your point of view,
you would rather not have him go, but in essence
you have to acquiesce to their wants because it is
their career and their lives.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yet, yeah, that's right, and as I say, we are
supportive of our players making as much money as possible
during what is, you know, a short career as a
sports person. However, we also need to think about what's
best for New Zealand cricket and what's best for New
Zealand Cricket is ultimately trying to put our best players
(04:44):
out on the park, but also rewarding and being loyal
to those players that are loyal to us.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Scott when it joins US Chief Executive of New Zealand cricket.
What about overextending the abilities and the time of these players,
came Williamson, for example, given Conway a chance that they
might be overused and burn themse elves out playing the
short version of the game, do you do you bring
that into your calculations.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yes, so for each of our players, and this extends
beyond the twenty contract that includes the casual players and
also the sort of next running down, we have very
clear plans in place for them around the cricket bar, playing,
rest periods, et cetera. So yeah, there's always look, there's
(05:32):
a lot of cricket being played, and there's always a
danger of them over extending themselves, but we have clear
plans in place, and for example, with Devon, one of
the key reasons we agreed to a casual playing contract
with him is because we agreed a clear set of
criteria around rest periods as well to make sure that
(05:54):
when he does come and play for New Zealand, he
is in the in the best form and also physical
shape possible.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So in essence, you still very much control that narrative
around playtime and a rest time, even though they're not
contracted to you. And they fall into place because they
want to keep playing for the country.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The ones that are under casual playing contracts. Absolutely, it's
it's very similar to central contract in that respect.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
As far as being at the front of this, and
you touched on them before that other nations don't do
this this and you mentioned a pragmatic move. Do you
see this evolving further? Do you see a time where
maybe it becomes even looser than it is now? For
one of a better phrase, Scott.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Look, I don't at this stage. I think I think
the state that we're in at the moment is exactly
the right state for the state of international cricket and
obviously the domestic T twenty leagues that are popping up.
But never say never. The world of cricket is changing
rapidly and without a doubt it's going to look very
(07:01):
different than five years time, let alone ten years time,
so we need to continue to evolve with that. But
that said, I think we're in a good place. I
think the contracting system we've got in place, that we've
worked very hard with Heath Mills and the CPA to
put in place is the right one for the current circumstances.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Two spots available. Now, when do we find out who
they are? You got a likely couple of candidates, so
that Scott.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah, we do. Now, we won't necessarily offer two spots.
That's for us to work through. I can see us
probably offering at least one, but not necessarily too. I mean,
we have a number of players who sit below that
contracted list who are actually on twelve month contracts anyway,
they're on player of interest contracts. So we just need
(07:46):
to work out, you know, whether we offer two more
or one or none.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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