Michael Bracewell takes a casual contract for the Big Bash as Nick Kelly earns his first

Michael Bracewell has given up his New Zealand central contract to chase a Big Bash League deal, and Nick Kelly has taken the place he leaves behind

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Sunday that Michael Bracewell, 35, will hold a casual contract for the 2026-27 season rather than a full central retainer, a change that clears the way for the white-ball allrounder to take up an opportunity in Australia’s Big Bash League. No club has been named.

Nick Kelly, the 33-year-old Northern Districts batter, replaces him on the contract list. It is his first national contract, awarded eleven years after his first-class debut.

Neither change removes a player from the selection pool, and both men are in contention for the India tour that opens in Christchurch on 22 October.

Too good an opportunity to pass up

Bracewell framed the move as a late-career decision taken with the board’s blessing. "The backing from New Zealand Cricket for me to take this opportunity at this stage of my career means a lot," he said.

"As a white-ball only player, this felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up," he added. "I’m still very much committed to the BLACKCAPS and can’t wait to be involved in the upcoming India tour and future white-ball series."

He also pointed to the domestic competition arriving next year. "I’ve also got my eyes firmly fixed on the opportunity to be involved in the inaugural NZ20 which is set to be introduced from next summer," Bracewell said.

Eleven years from debut to first contract

Kelly’s rise has been unhurried. The former Wellington Firebirds captain made his international debut in March 2025 and has 15 caps — eight in ODIs and seven in T20Is.

He has already led the side, standing in as T20I captain in Bangladesh earlier this year when Tom Latham was injured.

A county stint with Leicestershire returned 950 runs across all formats, among them his sixth List A hundred, scored in the Metro Bank One Day Cup final against Middlesex. He has three half-centuries in his last four ODIs.

What Walter sees in a late starter

Head coach Rob Walter, who coached Kelly at Otago, said the contract was earned rather than given. "Nick’s been a standout performer in domestic cricket for several seasons now and it’s testament to his hard work that he’s earned this first contract at this stage of his career," he said.

Walter argued that arriving late carries its own advantage. "Introducing players like Nick to international cricket a bit later certainly has its advantages in terms of the player knowing their game and being able to trust themselves to perform under pressure," he said.

"He has more than 300 professional matches under his belt and is one of the best fielders in the country, so he adds a lot to our contracted group," Walter added.

A casual list that keeps growing

Bracewell becomes the sixth player on New Zealand’s casual list for 2026-27, joining Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne and Tim Seifert.

The casual contract is the board’s accommodation of a crowded franchise calendar: a player keeps his place in the selection pool and is free to take overseas T20 work, without the retainer and year-round commitments of a central deal.

India arrive later this month

The timing matters because New Zealand’s summer opens with its largest home assignment. India arrive for 12 matches across 40 days, from 22 October to 1 December.

The tour comprises five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, the most matches a touring men’s side has played in New Zealand.

The T20Is run through Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton before the ODI leg begins in Auckland on 4 November.

The first of the five T20Is against India is in Christchurch on 22 October.

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