In a shock move, Kane Williamson has reportedly elected to turn down a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract.  

Reported by Dylan Cleaver’s The Bounce, the move is believed by both sides to be in the best interests of prolonging the 33-year-old’s career.  

He will take up a casual playing contract that will enable Williamson the opportunity to take up overseas Twenty20 franchise contracts. It will also see Williamson relinquish captaincy of the Twenty20 and ODI sides.  

Williamson first captained the Twenty20 and ODI sides in 2012, standing in for regular skipper Brendon McCullum, before taking over as full-time captain after the 2015 ODI World Cup.He’s skippered the ODI across 91 matches including at two World Cups. He’s been in charge of the Twenty20 side for 75 matches.In December 2022, he stood down as test captain, replaced by Tim Southee.  

The Bounce reported that Williamson is close to signing a deal to play in South Africa’s SA20, which takes place between January 10 and February 10.  

While travelling from the Caribbean back to New Zealand following the Black Caps’ disappointing showing at the Twenty20 World Cup Williamson was not available to comment but through a team spokesperson confirmed the details to The Bounce.  

“From our point of view this is a positive development,” said NZC chief executive Scott Weenink. “He is committing to New Zealand for the long term, but with the schedules the way they are this summer he is looking to take up an opportunity in a franchise league and will take his family with him.”  

It is reported that while both parties explored the option of Williamson remaining as one of 20 NZC centrally contracted players, it was agreed it would have undermined the system that has benefited both the national body and players’ association for more than two decades.  

Adding to this was potential friction around broadcast and sponsor elements should a centrally contracted player, particularly one of Williamson’s stature, be unavailable for periods during the New Zealand summer.  

Instead, Williamson will be offered a casual playing contract which will see him paid a retainer while in Black Caps camp in New Zealand, as well as match fees for any Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s, Weenink told The Bounce.  

Williamson is thought to be keen to play through to the 2027-28 season, and Weenink said enabling flexibility in the contract system provides an option to keep premier talent in cricket for longer.  

“Kane is basically going to be available to play every test, injury permitting,” Weenink said, “with the possible exception of the Afghanistan test [at a neutral venue in September], and is available for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan early next year.”  

The arrangement is similar to that of Trent Boult’s with NZC, but Weenink insisted these casual arrangements would be reserved for those who have provided exceptional service and not become commonplace.  

It is also reported that Lockie Ferguson, who set a Twenty20 international bowling figures record against Papua New Guinea, has also made it known he will not be taking up a NZC contract to pursue Twenty20 opportunities.