Trent Boult released from New Zealand contract; left-arm pacer wants to tour less, needs family time

The
33-year-old,
who
has
played
70
Tests
and
137
ODIs
since
2011,
will
continue
to
play
for
his
country
but
have
a
“significantly
reduced
role”,
NZC
said.

“This
has
been
a
really
tough
decision
for
me
…
playing
cricket
for
my
country
was
a
childhood
dream
and
I’m
so
proud
of
everything
I’ve
been
able
to
achieve,”
Boult
said
via
a
NZC
statement.

“Ultimately
this
decision
is
about
my
wife
Gert
and
our
three
young
boys.
Family
has
always
been
the
biggest
motivator
for
me
and
I
feel
comfortable
with
putting
it
first
and
preparing
ourselves
for
life
after
cricket,”
he
said.

Boult
and
Tim
Southee
have
been
one
of
the
most
feared
strike
partnerships
in
international
cricket
over
the
last
decade,
helping
New
Zealand
to
the
inaugural
World
Test
title
last
year
and
the
finals
of
the
last
two
50-overs
World
Cups.

The
left-arm
quick
has
taken
317
Test
wickets,
169
wickets
in
ODIs
and
a
further
62
wickets
in
T20s.

Boult
will
make
himself
available
for
domestic
leagues,
NZC
said,
and
had
accepted
that
his
decision
would
have
an
impact
on
his
international
career.

“I
still
have
a
big
desire
to
represent
my
country
and
feel
I
have
the
skills
to
deliver
at
international
level,”
Boult
added.

“However,
I
respect
the
fact
that
not
having
a
national
contract
will
affect
my
chances
of
selection,”
he
added.

While
top
cricketers
have
always
spent
plenty
of
time
away
from
home,
the
impact
of
the
COVID-19
pandemic
has
meant
longer
stints
in
more
arduous
conditions
over
the
last
couple
of
years.

“We
respect
Trent’s
position,”
said
NZC
chief
executive
David
White.

“He’s
been
completely
honest
and
up-front
with
us
about
his
reasoning
and,
while
we’re
sad
to
be
losing
him
as
a
fully-contracted
player,
he
leaves
with
our
best
wishes
and
our
sincere
thanks,”
he
added.