Williamson wants balance as landscape shifting ‘quickly’

Kane Williamson says there's still a balance to be found between Black Caps duty and lucrative domestic competitions as some players opted out of central contracts.

Williamson will lead New Zealand in a three-match ODI series against Australia in Cairns this week, beginning on Tuesday.

The 15-man squad includes Trent Boult, who has recently been released from his New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract, but not Colin De Grandhomme, 36, who has also walked away from his Black Caps deal.

Both scored Big Bash League contracts which clash with national team commitments.

Boult, 33, is ranked as the world’s best ODI bowler and the T20 World Cup next month could be a possible send-off for the Rotorua rocket.

Others may follow given the age of NZC contract holders.

By Christmas, just two of 19 contracted Black Caps will be under 30: Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson.

Williamson said he understood the departures, but was taken back by the speed of changes.

"It's a tricky one because it is changing. So much seems to have happened so quickly," he told reporters.

"It does seem to be a movement in the landscape of the game.

"Every case is unique and every case has got their individual needs at different stages of their lives.

"There are a lot of different franchise events happening and seeing players make decisions on their playing careers ... suggests that there is a balance to strike and some things to work through."

The time may come where Williamson, himself 32 and hampered by injuries in recent years, may also consider a move - but not yet.

"At the moment I'm very much here and looking to do my very best for the team," he said. "I love being involved in this environment."

The Mount Maunganui local was part of the squad that last month toured the West Indies, claiming 2-1 series wins in both ODI and T20 formats.

He sat out the final two 50-over matches with a quad injury, a move he labelled "precautionary".

"It's nice to have those 10 days at home and the body is feeling good," he said, adding a long-running elbow injury had also simmered down.

"It's nice to be training fully and batting for long periods in the nets."

The three-match series gives New Zealand the chance to end a 13-year run without a 50-over win on Australian soil.

Men's Dettol ODI Series v New Zealand

Tuesday, Sep 6: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm

Thursday, Sep 8: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm

Sunday Sep 11: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm

Australia squad: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

New Zealand squad: Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson (c)

Buy #AUSvNZ tickets here