White Ferns fast bowler Lea Tahuhu has missed out on an offer of a New Zealand Cricket contract for the 2022/23 season, as one of six changes to the White Ferns' core group.
Tahuhu, 31, has missed out on a contract, alongside Frankie Mackay, Leigh Kasperek and Thamsyn Newton.
As another to miss out on a contract, Tahuhu's wife Amy Satterthwaite announced her retirement from international cricket on Thursday, while former wicketkeeper Katey Martin also retired earlier this year.
In their places, Auckland trio Fran Jonas, Molly Penfold and Izzy Gaze have all been offered their first contracts, along with Wellington's Georgia Plimmer, Northern Districts' Nensi Patel and Otago's Eden Carson.
Tahuhu's absence is arguably the biggest surprise for the upcoming season, as one of the White Ferns' key senior players.
The right-armer has played nearly 150 matches for New Zealand, including 83 One Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals.
Tahuhu finished the recently completed Women's Cricket World Cup as New Zealand's joint highest wicket-taker, with 10 scalps at an average of just over 20.
New Zealand's other joint-highest wicket-taker from the World Cup, 31-year-old Mackay, has also not been offered a contract.
But the pair's absences along with 30-year-old Kasperek come as the White Ferns look to build a new, younger, core of players.
"It's never easy coming up with a final 17 players," said NZ Cricket high-performance general manager Bryan Stronach.
"Having said that, we're excited about the six new faces receiving contract offers, several of whom already have some White Ferns experience under their belt.
"To be in a position in which we're genuinely considering the credentials of a wider pool of players can only be viewed as a positive for the women's game."
Players have until June 3 to accept the offer of a New Zealand Cricket contract.
White Ferns contracted players: Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Jess McFayden, Nensi Patel, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe
