The Central Stags have finalised their contract list for the 2022-23 season and a first-time recipient is right-arm pace bowler Liam Dudding.

An old boy of St John's College, Hastings, the 28-year-old has made five first-class appearances for the Stags since his debut in March 2016. He has also played six 50-over Ford Trophy matches for the side.

"It's obviously been a big goal of mine, especially being around the Central Districts group for a number of years now. I'm stoked to be able to do it full time and see where I can go."

Dudding works for Acme Supplies Ltd, a stationery and hardware supplies company in Irongate Rd, Hastings. In previous seasons, he has worked full time over the summer, which has meant early-morning gym sessions and cricket training in the evenings. When the call has come to play for the Stags, he's fortunately been able to make things work.

"I'm very grateful to have had employers that understand what cricket means to me. It can be tough [when you're not contracted] trying to work out how to get time off.

"There's been a lot of times where I've been called in for injuries or guys going off to the Blackcaps, and it's [about] making the most of that opportunity, being in the environment and around the boys. To be able to do that full time now is pretty exciting."

A prolific wicket-taker for Hawke's Bay, the Cornwall club man says his family were delighted when they heard about his new contract.

"They were pretty stoked, really happy. I only told a few people and then had lots of messages of congratulations and support from others when the news came out. It was pretty humble to get all that."

Dudding's contract formally starts on September 1 and runs until the end of the season in April. He's looking forward to being able to focus on developing his game.
"Being able to be around the group and the coaches and support staff all the time and having the recovery time as well. I'll have a lot more time around trainings without the workload of a job on top of that."

Although he's played some white-ball cricket for the Stags, Dudding is eyeing up more opportunities in that form of the game, as well as taking the chance to improve his batting.

"I think, for me, my strength is the red ball [format] so developing more in the white-ball game and learning new skills [is important]. It's a fast-changing game, so working on how I get better in every area to be ready for when my time comes on the park.

"All the bowlers have got to do a job [when it comes to batting]. If you're in with someone from the top order, it's important to have the skills to rotate the strike or have a boundary option. I'm excited to get some more batting under my belt."

When Dudding reflects on his journey, he's quick to remember the influence the late Mike Shrimpton had on his development, before his death in 2015.

Shrimpton played 10 tests for New Zealand, 40 Hawke Cup matches for Hawke's Bay and had a variety of roles with New Zealand cricket including New Zealand Under 19s coach, New Zealand Development coach, New Zealand Emerging Players coach and New Zealand Academy coach, as well as being the coach of the New Zealand White Ferns team that won the Women's ICC Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in 2000.

"He probably kept me in the game. He saw something the first time he saw me and I started working with him a week later. It was a pretty tough time when we lost him, but the work he did for me and others [such as] the White Ferns, Cornwall Cricket Club, I'll always cherish those learnings. A lot of the credit for my cricket would definitely go to him."

Although the domestic summer cricket schedules are yet to be released, it's expected the first round of the Plunket Shield will start in October.