When MASON HUGHES saw DAVE MEIRING’s number flash up on his phone, he thought Central Districts Cricket’s high performance manager was going to ask him for his services as an architect. 

Instead, Meiring was about to offer the 26-year-old his first professional cricket contract with the Central Stags.

The tall left-hand batsman — and Palmerston North architect — is one of three cricketers awarded first-time contracts today to complete the Central Stags’ professional roster for 2024/25.

Joining Manawatū’s Hughes is accomplished Hawke’s Bay captain ANGUS SCHAW and New Zealand’s top wicket-taker at this year’s ICC Men’s Under 19 World Cup, EWALD SCHREUDER.

Even though Hughes made two T20 appearances for the Stags in 2022 and is a seasoned Central Districts A performer, the possibility of a Stags contract hadn’t been pinging on his personal radar.

“GREG HAY [who retired at the end of last season] has been such an icon of that top order for so long that I guess it just hadn’t sunk in with me that spots would open up now,” Hughes said.

“He was the kind of player you hoped would go on forever.”

Like Mason, Schaw has already had a taste of putting on the Stags’ colours.

The 30-year-old off-spinning allrounder made his debut in early 2023 in the Dream11 Super Smash, and has since added three Ford Trophy one-dayers.

A first-class century on debut last summer | MBUTCHER

It was his Plunket Shield century on first-class debut in February that really turned heads:  Schaw batted for almost five hours against Northern Districts at Bay Oval, walking off with a heroic 114.

Northern Districts has been 19-year-old Schreuder’s cricketing home until now, joining Central Districts after representing ND U19 and Northern Districts A, and playing two Ford Trophy one-dayers in February when he was only 18.

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Schreuder’s family had emigrated to New Zealand in 2020 when he began to concentrate more on cricket than his other sporting passion, rugby.

Ewald Schreuder was just 18 when he debuted in The Ford Trophy | PHOTOSPORT

He made his ND List A debut just two days after having returned from the world under-19 tournament in which he’d snared nine wickets at 18.33 — including a haul of 4/46.

Schreuder’s maiden contract means the Stags now have two contracted left-arm pacemen at their disposal, the youngster joining Manawatū’s RAY TOOLE who has raced to 102 first-class wickets from just 31 games.

Toole was one of the 13 players contracted in the first round of announcements a fortnight ago, and Meiring’s last three signings for 2024/25 are in addition to NZC-contracted BLACKCAPS WILL YOUNG and AJAZ PATEL who will also play for the team when available.

The Stags have been missing a left-hander in the batting top order and Hughes offers that option, said Meiring.

Mason Hughes (right) is tall timber at the top of the order | MBUTCHER

“Mason’s been on our radar for two or three years, a player who’s already had a taste of the Dream11 Super Smash and has a lot of maturity and experience.

“Likewise Angus has been around the wider Stags training group for the last two or three seasons, and we see him as having value in all three formats.

“He proved the ability is there with his century on first-class debut, showing the experience he could bring to performing at this level.”

Schreuder is meanwhile a talent on the rise, and helps re-stock the pace coffers after the retirement of SETH RANCE; the transfer of LIAM DUDDING to Wellington; and CD’s NZ U19 rep MATT ROWE taking up a contract offer from Canterbury.

“We see Ewald as a long-term proposition for us, and it will certainly be nice to have a second left-armer in our ranks.

PHOTOSPORT

“He’s an exciting, strong young player who’s already shown, for ND, that he can handle the step up.

“It was important for us to look at strengthening those pace bowling stocks again.”

The contracted period officially begins on 1 September when the Stags will assemble at their Mitre 10 Park, Hawke’s Bay base for preseason training, ahead of the first game in October.

Central Hinds season contracts will be announced in August, with the Domestic schedule to follow. 

MASON HUGHES in his own words

“I honestly thought Dave must have been adding an extension to his house or something when I saw his number on my phone. When I gave him a call back, he started talking about cricket, and what my plans were, and to be honest, the penny still didn’t drop until he asked me if I was available for a Stags contract.

“I’ve been in and amongst the team before at different stages and I really enjoyed it, but always through circumstances where regular players were either injured or becoming a father, and I would come in as cover. I’d never expected to be a regular part of the squad.

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“So I was absolutely stoked, but it did come as a bit of a shock! I asked if I could have the weekend to think about it, as I’d bought into the architecture practice that I work for here as my long-term plan, and I needed to talk to work, as well as talk it through with my partner — we’ve bought our first home here. Once all those boxes were ticked, it was an easy decision.

“I’ve always had to fit my training around work and the rest of my life in the past, and while I do love my work, it was always in the back of my mind, wondering what sort of cricketer could I be if I had a chance to dedicate myself to it?

“Now I get to find out the answer to those questions. September the first can’t come quick enough for me. I’m super-excited. Really looking forward to preseason in Hawke’s Bay, and then I’ll commute back and forth from Palmy as required.”

ANGUS SCHAW in his own words

“It’s probably been a longer journey for me than most to get to this point, but I really feel I’m ready for it. I feel like I’m playing my best cricket now — and I’ve got more of my best cricket in front of me.

Experience gleaned in all three formats | PHOTOSPORT

“That hundred on Plunket Shield debut really did make me feel like I was good enough to be playing at that level. That I belonged.

“You can’t buy that kind of experience, so I’m really hungry now for more, and being contracted means I can give it 100 per cent commitment now to training and playing, and seeing what can happen.”

EWALD SCHREUDER in his own words

“You always hope for a contract, but in my head I’d been telling myself it was a bit early for me — so to get that call from Dave last week, from a different Major Association entirely, was an unbelievably nice surprise.

“I’m thankful to Northern Districts for the start they’ve given me, and now I’m really looking forward to learning in a new environment.

 

"I’ll be moving down to Hawke’s Bay to train with the group in Hastings and, while I haven’t met all of the Stags squad yet, I do know a few from having been at various camps with them — Will Clark, Curtis Heaphy, Joey Field, and I know Doug Bracewell as well. I played against a few of them too, in one of my first ND A games.

“Being away at the World Cup for about a month last summer, constantly training and playing, that gave me some good confidence — and then two days after I had got back, I was playing in The Ford Trophy.

"It was a bit nerve-wracking on Ford Trophy debut and still a bit jet-lagged, but I found my experiences away had helped me believe in my skill-set a bit more. So I feel excited now to have this opportunity in front of me. A different place, different people — and closer to the beach!”

2024/25 Contracts

[In alphabetical order]

Jack Boyle — Hawke’s Bay, top order RH batter

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay, RA pace allrounder

Tom Bruce — Taranaki, RH batter, RA spin bowler

Will Clark — Hawke’s Bay, RA pace allrounder

Josh Clarkson — Nelson, RA pace allrounder

Dane Cleaver — Manawatū, wicketkeeper-RH batter

Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay, RA pace bowler

Curtis Heaphy — Manawatū, RH top order batter

Mason Hughes — Manawatū, LH top order batter *

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay, LA spinner

Brett Randell — RA pace allrounder

Angus Schaw — Hawke’s Bay, RH batter, RA spin *

Brad Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay, RH batter, leg-spin bowler

Ewald Schreuder — RH batter, LA pace *

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay, RA pace bowler

Ray Toole — Manawatū, LA pace bowler, LH batter

* First contract

2024/25 BLACKCAPS Contracted Players

Ajaz Patel — Hawke’s Bay, LA spinner

Will Young — Taranaki, RH batter

 

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Article added: Monday 29 July 2024

Author: Margot Butcher

All images: Photosport | Published under licence or ©️Margot Butcher