Christchurch, Jun 11 (IANS): Batter Lauren Down returned to the New Zealand women's team contract list for the 2024-25 season, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Polly Inglis, who has received a central contract offer for the first time.

Named last week in the ODI squad for the upcoming tour to England, Down received the contract offer following a maternity break, which guided her decision to decline a central contract last season.

Inglis’ offer comes after she featured in the New Zealand A side that beat England A 2-1 in the One Day home series in March. Inglis was pivotal for Otago Sparks in this year’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield campaign, finishing as the competition’s second-highest run-scorer.

Head coach Ben Sawyer said, Inglis’ performances have made her the first pick for a backup wicketkeeper.

"Polly’s had a great domestic season with both bat and gloves and for that she’s been rewarded with a contract,” said Sawyer. "Izzy Gaze at the moment is our number one keeper in both formats and she deserves that spot, but we need a backup keeper; we’ve spoken to Polly about that and she's forced her way into this group."

Captain Sophie Devine alongside senior playing group Suzie Bates, Melie Kerr, Maddy Green and Lea Tahuhu have retained their contracts along with allrounders Jess Kerr, Brooke Halliday and Hannah Rowe, young spin bowling duo Eden Carson and Fran Jonas, seam bowlers Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold and Hayley Jensen, batter Georgia Plimmer and wicketkeeper-batter Izzy Gaze.

Of the centrally contracted players in the 2023-24 season, wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout has retired from international cricket and batter Kate Anderson did not receive an offer, NZC said in a release.

The 2024-25 contracting period begins August 1, the players have until June 17 to accept their offer, it added.

“We’ve landed on a strong list of 17 names that we think are going to play an important part over the next 12 months. It’s a familiar group made up of experienced and younger players that we believe are going to drive this team forward. I’m excited about the way this group are progressing together and what they can achieve over the next year," said head coach Sawyer.

He also said planning for the next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was a key selection focus. "A big part of the selection process this year was looking at who could take part in the 2025 ODI World Cup."

Central contract offers 2024-25: Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Polly Inglis, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu