Williamson: The landscape of cricket is evolving so swiftly!
Williamson: The landscape of cricket is evolving so swiftly! Kane Williamson says there still needs to be a balance between playing for New Zealand and leaving the national team to play in more lucrative domestic competitions for older players. This week, starting on Tuesday, Williamson will lead New Zealand in a three-game ODI series against Australia in Cairns.
Trent Boult’s contract end.
Trent Boult, who was just let go from his central contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), is on the 15-person team. Colin de Grandhomme, who also quit his contract, is not on the team, even though he is 36 years old. Both got contracts with the Big Bash League, but they also have to play for their country. Boult, who is 33, is considered the best ODI bowler in the sport, and the T20 World Cup next month could be his last game.
More players to let go!
Given how old the people who have NZC contracts are, others may follow. By Christmas, only Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson, two of New Zealand’s 19 contracted players, will be under 30. Williamson said he understood why people were leaving. But he was surprised by how quickly things were changing.
“It’s a tricky one because it is changing. So much seems to have happened so quickly,” he told reporters. “It does seem to be a movement in the landscape of the game. Every case is unique and every case has got their individual needs at different stages of their lives.”
“There are a lot of different franchise events happening and seeing players make decisions on their playing careers…suggests that there is a balance to strike and some things to work through.”
Williamson’s state
Williamson, who is 32 and has been injured a lot in recent years, may also decide to move at some point, but not yet.
“At the moment I’m very much here and looking to do my very best for the team,” he said. “I love being involved in this environment.”
Williamson was part of the team that went on a tour of the West Indies last month. The team won both the ODI and T20 series by a score of 2-1. However, he didn’t play in the last two 50-over games because he hurt his quad, a move he called “precautionary.”
“It’s nice to have those 10 days at home and the body is feeling good,” he said, adding a long-running elbow injury had also simmered down. “It’s nice to be training fully and batting for long periods in the nets.”
The three-game series gives New Zealand a chance to win its first 50-over game on Australian soil in 13 years.