“Firstly, I would like to thank New Zealand Cricket for their support throughout this process,” Conway said. “The decision to move away from my central playing contract has not been taken lightly, but I believe it is the best decision for me and my family at this time.
“Playing for the Black Caps is still the pinnacle of my career and I have a huge passion for representing New Zealand and winning international cricket matches.
“I am delighted to be part of the upcoming Test squad during this crucial period of the ICC World Test Championship cycle and, if selected, look forward to playing in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February next year.”
NZC chief executive Scott Winning has reiterated that while temporary contracts are only a viable option for some key players, they are a prudent way to manage the changing landscape of franchise cricket.
“We are delighted that Devon has decided to join the Blackcaps. He is a great player who has contributed greatly to the team over the past few years,” he said. “It is important that we have the flexibility in our system to navigate some of the challenges that franchise cricket poses in the current environment. This is another example of how we are working hard to retain our best players.”
Coney and Allan have joined Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne in giving up their Central Region contracts, but Williamson, who will play in SA20 in January, has not ruled out the possibility of signing a Central Region contract in the future.
Under the NZC system, to be eligible for a central contract, players must be able to compete in domestic Super Smash tournaments even when not playing international cricket.
