2022 Domestic Cricket Contracts: Auckland
Defending Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy champions Auckland will be in the mix across all three formats again this summer as they re-up with strong group of contracted cricketers. Lockie Ferguson and Martin Guptill played key roles in those championships last season, while Kyle Jamieson only played two PS games for Auckland. The availability of these players will be crucial in Auckland's mahi again this summer and also providing funky cricket to enjoy.
Folks know all about the funk that Jamieson can dish up at the domestic level as his hooping in-swingers to righties/away to lefties have torn through a batting line ups. Jamieson is on the comeback trail from injury and his mahi for Auckland will inform cricket folk around Aotearoa of how his summer could look. These lads aren't in the Auckland contracted player list, but they are among the most entertaining kiwi cricketers and they will be mandatory viewing for Auckland this season.
Mark Chapman is in Auckland's contracted group. Chapman won't start the PS season as he's at the T20 World Cup and after jacking up 465 runs @ 51.66avg/94sr in the FT last season, Chapman will be eager to command further Blackcaps opportunities. Chapman was solid in PS (36.57avg) and SS (20.44avg/116sr) as part of a Auckland's often-stacked batting unit, although Auckland also have a hearty spin unit that limits Chapman's bowling opportunities.
Chapman didn't bowl in PS, while 6 overs in FT and 8.5ov in SS delivered 1 wicket. Meanwhile, Will Somerville enjoyed a resurgent PS campaign (22w @ 20.40avg), forming a veteran spin duo with lefty Louis Delport.
Somerville and Delport were the only Auckland bowlers to churn out 190+ overs in PS. Delport dabbled in FT and SS bowling, yet young leggy Adithya Ashok emerged as an exciting spin prospect with fabulous white-ball mahi. In his first season on the domestic circuit, Ashok was one of three Auckland bowlers who took 10+ wickets in FT (11w @ 39avg) and SS (14w @ 17.14avg). Ferguson was Auckland's only other bowler who took 10+ wickets in both those competitions and Ashok will be aiming to back that up, perhaps breaking into Auckland's PS team.
Ben Lister and Simon Keene are seamers to watch out for, with Lister recently touring India as part of Aotearoa 'A' and Keene snaring 25w @ 14.28avg in his debut season. Lister only played one game in India but Aotearoa lacks lefty seamers and another impressive campaign last summer has Lister averaging 26.83 in First-Class and 28.48 in T20 cricket. Keep an eye on Lister's nibble away from righties/into lefties and if he can expand his skillset, there is a lefty-seam opening for Lister to snap up.
Keene appears to be a fine seam prospect with decent pace and seam movement. Keene snared a 5+ wicket haul in each of his first three games, also taking 2+ wickets in each of his first six innings of FC bowling. Keene took 4w in his first FT game as well, just for a giggle. Lister has a few seasons of gathering wickets, now Keene and Ashok must back up their first dose of domestic cricket.
Danru Ferns and Ross ter Braak will also want game time, with ter Braak offering a more conventional style of lefty seam bowling. Sean Solia is a busy all-rounder who bowls plenty of overs for Auckland and his reliability, along with the likes of Somerville will form a cornerstone of Auckland's bowling. Solia and Rob O'Donnell were also in the Aotearoa 'A' group that toured India. They are joined by George Worker and Ben Horne as experienced batters who will play most games, even when Blackcaps are sprinkled into the mixer.
Cole Briggs, Ryan Harrison and Quinn Sunde offer depth. Will O'Donnell could leap up from that depth bracket into a 1st 11 batter as his development has been a low key wrinkle in recent seasons for Auckland, now averaging 44.47 in FC and 36.27 in LA. The younger O'Donnell brother opened both innings in Auckland's warm up game vs Northern. O'Donnell's progress this season will be as intriguing as that of Ashok and Keene
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