New Zealand selectors axe two players from the national contract list

New Zealand middle-order batsman Neil Broom says that he has accepted that his Black Caps career is ‘99 percent’ over after missing out on a central contract for the forthcoming season. Broom, along with allrounder Jimmy Neesham are the two players dropped from last season’s 21 player contract list. They will likely get domestic contracts instead.

The Otago based Broom, however, has enjoyed a second coming in international cricket since being recalled in 2016 but has failed to nail down a spot in any of the Black Caps squads. He had to endure a hiatus of more than six years before getting recalled for the Bangladesh one-day international series between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve 2016.

Broom told the New Zealand Herald: “Whatever I do in the future, I know I had a good crack and probably wasn’t good enough when it came down to it.

“I’m looking forward to playing for Otago and getting a bit of pride back in the province cricket-wise. It’s year-by-year now, but hopefully, I can pump out another couple of seasons and hang the boots up happy.”

Both the players struggled last season

Neesham declined to comment on his situation, other than to say he could understand the decision and would be doing his utmost to recapture form. Both Neesham and Broom struggled in 2017-18.

Broom averaged under 30 in each format and scored six and two in ODIs against the West Indies during the contracted period. Neesham averaged in the mid-30s with bat and ball at first-class and List A level, but could not hold his place in Otago’s T20 side. He did not play for New Zealand across the season.

At 27, Neesham still has plenty of opportunities to regain his international spot, but with Broom in the penultimate stages of his career, he needs something extraordinary if he fancies a comeback.

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