Northern Districts Knights to build from within
IAN ANDERSON
Last updated 05:00 20/07/2013
With no outside signings in the pipeline, it appears the new names on the Northern Knights contract list will all come from within the association.
The Knights will name between nine and 13 players contracted for the 2013/14 season by the end of next week, with the transfer window closing yesterday.
While the Northern Districts side had been looking to add a top-quality batting allrounder to their squad from outside the province, that pursuit hasn't resulted in luring a new acquisition.
Instead, new coach James Pamment will aim to build his side around a core of experienced performers and promising young talent, while looking to fill the gaps left by retired batsman James Marshall and departed seamers Brent Arnel and Bradley Scott.
The SkyCity Knights have five players with New Zealand Cricket contracts – Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, BJ Watling and Corey Anderson – while Daniel Vettori opted not to be available for a NZC or ND contract while recovering from further surgery on his achilles tendon injury.
That has given Pamment, ND chief executive Peter Roach and cricket operations manager Pat Malcon scope to ensure that 20 of the association's best players will have contracts for the upcoming season, with 14 domestic contracts available.
"We've engaged in discussions with some players to see where they're at, but there's not a great capacity for players to move – the difference in values is pretty small," Roach said.
"We don't think we've got any major holes that we feel desperately need filling."
New contracts are set to go to quick bowler Scott Kuggeleijn after his move from Wellington, young wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher and promising middle-order batsman Jono Hickey.
All rounder Brett Hampton and seamer James Baker were contracted last year but may be battling the likes of Jono Boult, Tony Goodin and up-and-coming young batsmen Bharat Popli, Joe Carter and Tamati Clarke for the final two spots.
"There'll be people that played last year that won't be getting a contract and we need to be mindful that because of our depth of talent, players will be targeted to play elsewhere," Roach said.
The domestic contracts range in salary from $39,000 for the top-ranked player down to $19,000 for No 14.
The Knights' top earner should be their captain, with an announcement on who will lead the side also due next week.
Previous coach Grant Bradburn employed a separate skipper for all three formats last season, with Brad Wilson overseeing the first-class side in the four-day arena, Marshall captaining the one-day team in the Ford Trophy and Scott Styris leading the HRV Cup Twenty20 outfit.
However, Pamment is keen on appointing one man to be in charge throughout the entire campaign, with Wilson the frontrunner.
Likely initial Knights contracted players: Graeme Aldridge, Anton Devcich, Cam Fletcher, Daniel Flynn, Jono Hickey, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi, Scott Styris, Anurag Verma, Brad Wilson, Joseph Yovich.
