Christchurch, June 17 (IANS) Top-order batter Devon Conway and pace bowler Blair Tickner have been included in New Zealand’s central contract for the 2026-27 period, replacing Adithya Ashok and Muhammad Abbas in the 20-player list, New Zealand Cricket announced on Wednesday.

After two years on a casual playing agreement, Conway returns to the central contract list with a busy 12 months of Test cricket ahead. Tickner earned his recall to the list after compelling performances across all formats for both the Central Stags and the national side.

Head Coach Rob Walter said it was pleasing to see the return of both Tickner and Conway.

“Blair has worked extremely hard over the past few years and added new levels to his game. He’s an excellent team man and has stepped into various roles for the side over the past few months and excelled in them.

“It’s important we continue to nurture that depth in our bowling stocks, especially with a heavy diet of red-ball cricket over the next 12 months, so to have Blair contracted full-time will help maintain that depth.

“Devon has been a regular member of the side in all three formats for some time now, even whilst on a casual contract, so it’s great to have a player of his calibre back on the central contract list, especially with the amount of exciting cricket coming up,” he said.

Conway’s 146 international caps and over 6,000 runs across all formats is a welcome return to the central contract list, with the top-order batter making himself available for all international fixtures during the upcoming contracting period (1 August 2026 – 31 July 2027).

Tickner has claimed four or more wickets in five of his last eight innings for New Zealand, with his maiden international five-wicket-bag coming last month against Ireland in the one-off Test match at Stormont.

“Tickner and Conway’s inclusion means Adithya Ashok and Muhammad Abbas come off the central contract list,” NZC said in a release.

Zak Foulkes and Mitch Hay have retained their contracts after being added to the list for the first time last year and featuring across all three formats in the past 12 months.

Foulkes has already chalked up 36 internationals and featured prominently in all formats during the first half of the home summer, playing a key role in the one-day series win against England with his seven wickets.

Wicketkeeper-batter Hay has 23 caps to his name after making his Test debut in Wellington against the West Indies in December, where he scored 61 from his solitary innings and took three catches behind the stumps.

Michael Bracewell and Mark Chapman both requested not to be ranked in Test cricket and remain on the central contract list as white-ball specialists.

Kane Williamson’s recent retirement from international cricket means he will not feature as a casually contracted player.

New Zealand men’s central contract list 2026-27: Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young.