New Zealand’s six Major Associations have today confirmed their first round of contracted male players for the 2025/26 domestic summer, featuring notable player moves and a number of newcomers receiving their first domestic contracts.
Major Associations can name up to 15 players in the first round of contract announcements, followed by a two-week official transfer window that allows uncontracted players the chance of assessing their options with another MA. Following this, each Major Association will name a further player to complete their 16-man contract list.
Contracted players receive a retainer and form the core of each Major Association’s campaigns across the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Dream11 Super Smash, but uncontracted players typically also get chances to shine and impress in each region during the season.
Movements
Dean Foxcroft is set to return to Central Districts, where he began his domestic career in New Zealand, after spending six seasons with Otago from 2019/20.The batting allrounder made his BLACKCAPS debut in 2023 following a standout summer as the Volts’ leading white-ball run scorer. He departs Otago with 105 appearances, contributing 3,592 runs and taking 97 wickets.
Otago will also bid farewell to batters Dale Phillips and Leo Carter.
Phillips is heading north to Auckland. After a standout 2024/25 season in which he amassed 1,094 runs, Phillips was named Otago’s Cricketer of the Year.
Canterbury will welcome back Leo Carter after a season with the Volts. The dependable batter has previously notched three First-Class and two List A centuries for the red and black.
Auckland bowler Danru Ferns will head south, signing with Otago after nine seasons with the Aces. The skilled speedster was named NZC’s Dream11 Super Smash Player of the Year for 2023/24, topping the wicket-taking charts with 18 wickets at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 7.53.
Otago has also secured two more key signings in batters Jack Boyle and Troy Johnson.
This will be Boyle’s third association, having started his domestic career with Canterbury (2016/17), then moving to Central Districts for three seasons (2022–2025). He played a crucial role in the Stags’ Dream11 Super Smash title win last summer, finishing as the tournament’s third-highest run scorer.
Johnson departs the Wellington Firebirds after six years, 98 appearances, and a title-win in each of the three national competitions. Regarded as one of the best fielders in the domestic scene, Johnson took part in one of the most viral catches in Dream11 Super Smash history.
First-time Contracts
Auckland Cricket
The Auckland Aces welcome five newcomers: Lachie Stackpole, Rohit Gulati, Harrish Kannan, Sid Dixit and Samrath Singh.
Stackpole made his debut for the Aces just a year after representing New Zealand at the 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Over the 2024/25 summer, the left-handed batter debuted in all three formats and already has one First-Class and two List A half-centuries to his name.
Left-arm finger spinner Gulati joins Auckland from Northern Districts after debuting in all three formats last summer, taking eight wickets in just four matches.
Right-arm pace bowler Singh earns his maiden domestic contract after a memorable First-Class debut last summer when he was brought in as injury cover but claimed the prized wicket of BLACKCAP Rachin Ravindra.
Promising top-order left-hander Kannan joins the Aces after relocating from Melbourne to Auckland in 2024, impressing for Papatoetoe Premier Men.
Northern Districts
Northern have signed 18-year-old Xavier Bell, who has already recorded two double hundreds in his short career. At just 17, Bell scored 255 for the ND Academy against Auckland and followed it up nine days later with 247 for his St Peter’s First XI. He continued his strong form as the top run-scorer in the National Men’s Provincial A season for Northern Districts A.
Sam Morgan will bolster the Firebirds' batting lineup after hitting consecutive centuries (160* and 125) for Wellington A in a two-day match against Central Districts A.
Right-arm seamer Amogh Paranjpe impressed last summer claiming 10 wickets (5-36 and 5-46) for Hutt District in the Pearce Cup Final. He now formally joins the Firebirds after frequently serving as a net bowler for the side.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jesse Frew earns his first domestic contract after impressing with the gloves during his First-Class debut season in 2024/25. Frew also represented New Zealand U19 on a tour to Australia in 2019.
In just his second First-Class match, 21-year-old Scott Jannett stood out with a score of 93 in a Plunket Shield match against Auckland. The right-hander also made his List A debut, averaging 31 across five matches.
Otago Cricket
Eighteen-year-old Mason Clarke will join the Volts pace bowling stocks after making his white-ball debut for Otago during the 2024/25 summer. The right-arm pacer represented New Zealand at the 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, taking 4-62 against India.
Returning
Ish Sodhi (Canterbury), Josh Clarkson (Central Districts), and Ajaz Patel (Central Districts) return to their Major Associations’ contract lists after being on BLACKCAPS contracts for the 2024/25 season.
Central Districts veteran Doug Bracewell also returns declining a contract in 2024/25.
Zak Gibson and Tim Pringle rejoin the Northern Districts contract list following injuries that kept them sidelined last summer, while Scott Kuggeleijn returns after opting out of a contract in 2024/25.
2025-26 Men's domestic contracts - 1st round
Northern Districts
Xavier Bell, Josh Brown, Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Kristian Clarke, Henry Cooper, Matthew Fisher, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Scott Kuggeleijn, Robbie O'Donnell, Ben Pomare, Bharat Popli, Tim Pringle, Jeet Raval
Auckland
Cam Fletcher, Matt Gibson, Rohit Gulati, Bevon-John Jacobs, Harrish Kannan, Simon Keene, Ben Lister, Jock McKenzie, Angus Olliver, Dale Phillips, Sid Dixit, Samrat Singh, Sean Solia, Lachie Stackpole, Jordan Sussex
Central Districts
Doug Bracewell, Tom Bruce, Will Clark, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Toby Findlay, Dean Foxcroft, Curtis Heaphy, Jayden Lennox, Ajaz Patel, Brett Randell, Angus Schaw, Brad Schmulian, Blair Tickner, Ray Toole
Wellington
Liam Dudding, Nick Greenwood, James Hartshorn, Nick Kelly, Callum McLachlan Samuel Morgan, Sam Mycock, Amogh Paranjpe, Tim Robinson, Gareth Severin, Michael Snedden, Jesse Tashkoff, Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband, Yahya Zeb
Canterbury
Chad Bowes, Matt Boyle, Leo Carter, Jesse Frew, Scott Janett, Rhys Mariu, Cole McConchie, Angus McKenzie, Cam Paul, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Matt Rowe, Fraser Sheat
Otago
Matt Bacon, Jack Boyle, Max Chu, Mason Clarke, Jacob Cumming, Danru Ferns, Luke Georgeson, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Lew Johnson, Troy Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Jarrod Mackay, Thorn Parkes, Jamal Todd
