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New Zealand opener Devon Conway has opted to sign a temporary contract instead of a permanent one for the upcoming 2024-2025 season, giving the left-hander the flexibility to play in South Africa’s SA20 league next January.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said Conway, who was born in Johannesburg, has played 20 Test matches, 32 One-Day Internationals and 50 Twenty20 matches since qualifying for the New Zealand squad in 2020. He will play in all nine Black Caps Test matches and next year’s Champions Trophy.
“The decision to give up my key player’s contract is not one I make lightly, but I believe it is the best option for me and my family at this time,” the 33-year-old said in a news release.
“Playing for the Black Caps remains the pinnacle for me and I am very passionate about representing New Zealand and winning international cricket matches.”
Conway follows his former captain Kane Williamson in being offered a temporary contract, with Williamson also set to play in the SA20 league as NZC looks to retain its best players for the majority of the season in the face of lucrative offers from the Twenty20 league.
“In the current environment, our system needs to be flexible to deal with some of the challenges that franchise cricket presents,” New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink said.
Conway and Williamson have been included in the 15-man squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan and the two-match series in Sri Lanka in September.
Another Black Caps opener, Finn Allen, has also joined internationals Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne in turning down a central contract and will be selected on a match-by-match basis.
NZC said two yet-to-be-identified players would be offered central contracts to replace Conway and Allen.
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