Black Caps opener shifts

Former test opener Jeet Raval and promising batsman Finn Allen have both left Auckland to try and further their cricket careers elsewhere, in the first round of domestic contracts announced on Monday.

Raval, the 24-test Black Caps opener, is moving to international-laden Northern Districts for the 2020-21 season while 21-year-old Allen heads south to bolster the Plunket Shield champion Wellington Firebirds.

The pair were the notable offseason movers, along with Black Caps allrounder Daryl Mitchell whose shift south from ND to Canterbury was confirmed last week.

Raval endured a tough season in 2019-20 and was dropped from the New Zealand side during the tour of Australia.

With Daniel Flynn’s retirement a spot opened up in the ND top-order, and Auckland confirmed Raval’s departure yesterday.

It is understood Raval is seeking more opportunities to push his case in white ball cricket, with Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips and Black Caps contracted batsman Martin Guptill an imposing top-order for the Aces the Ford Trophy champions.

Allen made his first-class debut at 18 and turned heads when he scored 104 not out for the New Zealand XI against the touring England side in Whangarei in November.

He was offered a contract by Wellington who farewelled batsman Malcolm Nofal to his South African homeland, while another South African Devon Conway has shifted up to the Black Caps contract list.

Allen joins former New Zealand Under-19 team-mates Rachin Ravindra, Jakob Bhula and Ben Sears at Wellington, who also elevated 22-year-old batsman Troy Johnson to their contract list.