Players offered New Zealand Cricket contracts named

New Zealand Cricket today released the names of the 20 players who have been offered New Zealand Cricket contracts.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said the Australian model had been used to decide which players would be offered contracts.

The criteria used included past performance, with particular emphasis placed on performance during the proceeding 12 months and an assessment of a player's likely value to NZC or to that player's Major Association during the following 12 months.

"At the request of the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association we agreed that players should be ranked based on their performances to June 1 this year."

New Zealand Cricket has also agreed to a New Zealand Cricket Players' Association request that player rankings be kept confidential.

The players are:

Andre Adams
Nathan Astle
Shane Bond
Ian Butler
Chris Cairns
Stephen Fleming
Chris Harris
Robbie Hart
Paul Hitchcock
Matt Horne
Craig McMillan
Chris Martin
Chris Nevin
Jacob Oram
Mark Richardson
Mathew Sinclair
Scott Styris
Daryl Tuffey
Daniel Vettori
Lou Vincent