Flora Devonshire, Nensi Patel and Izzy Sharp earn New Zealand central contracts for 2026-27 season

Flora Devonshire, Nensi Patel and Izzy Sharp have been added to New Zealand’s 17-player women’s central contract list for the 2026-27 season. They join an experienced core led by captain Melie Kerr, and regulars such as Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair and Georgia Plimmer.

Devonshire and Sharp earned contracts after spending the past year in NZC’s Central Players of Interest programme, a pathway initiative designed to accelerate the development of high-potential talent.

The trio have replaced Suzie Bates, Lauren Down and Lea Tahuhu on the contract list. Sophie Devine, who was on a casual playing agreement last season, is also absent from the contracted group. Down has called time on her international career, while Bates, Tahuhu and Devine are set to retire after the Women’s T20 World Cup.

“Flora’s a clean striker with lots of power,” Ben Sawyer, New Zealand head coach, said. “Being left-handed, she offers a point of difference as she’s able to hit to different areas of the field, and there’s the added bonus of her left-arm orthodox bowling. Nensi’s consistently accurate with the ball, and she has great control over her length and pace.

“Izzy’s batting has been building from strength to strength. She possesses similar qualities to Sophie and with Soph stepping away from international cricket soon, it’s really exciting to bring someone with Izzy’s power onto a central contract so we can keep working with her to develop those skills.”

Devonshire, a left-arm batting allrounder from Central Districts, made her international debut in March 2025, and was subsequently named in two World Cup squads.

Patel returned to the contracted group after previously receiving a central contract in 2022-23. The spin-bowling allrounder from Northern Districts has had an encouraging start to her international career since making her debut in February, having taken 14 wickets in T20Is at an average of 9.8 and an economy rate of 4.04.

She also made an immediate impact in the lead-up to the Women’s T20 World Cup, returning figures of 4 for 18 against Bangladesh in New Zealand’s opening warm-up match.

Sharp, a hard-hitting right-hand batter from Timaru, captained New Zealand at the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 while on her first domestic contract with Canterbury. A key member of the Canterbury Magicians line-up, Sharp averaged 30 and struck at 128 during the 2025-26 Super Smash season, finishing as the team’s leading run-scorer.

Left-arm spinner Fran Jonas has retained her contract after recently representing New Zealand A on their tour of Sri Lanka.

New Zealand women’s central contract

Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Molly Penfold,Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Izzy Sharp

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