Neesham returns to the NZ fold after having missed out on a contract last year due to poor form © Getty

Jimmy Neesham, wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Blundell and Will Young find themselves among the 20 who were offered central contracts for 2019-20, replacing Adam Milne, Corey Anderson and George Worker.

Tim Seifert missed out on a contract following losing out on his World Cup spot after Blundell was picked. Milne and Anderson struggled with injuries ruling them out of World Cup contention. Last year, Milne returned to the New Zealand side for the Pakistan T20Is briefly, but managed just four games thereafter. He even pulled out of the IPL recently. Anderson too played the T20Is against Pakistan, and wanted to focus on white-ball cricket in a bid to seal a World Cup spot, but was unable to. And a recent shoulder surgery has added to his woes.

While Neesham and Blundell have been named in New Zealand's World Cup squad, Young, 26, was due to make his Test debut against Bangladesh in Christchurch but the terror attacks in March resulted in the Test being cancelled.

While Neesham returns to the New Zealand fold after having missed out on a contract last year due to poor form, Young and Blundell earned their first central contracts. Neesham had almost quit cricket before being coaxed into staying and ended up making a strong return to the New Zealand ODI team last season. "Jimmy had a very good season and made excellent progress with Wellington, New Zealand A and the Blackcaps. He's made every post a winning one," selector Gavin Larsen said on Thursday (May 2). "Will receives an offer on the basis of the sheer weight of runs he scored last season, both for New Zealand A and the Central Stags.

"Tom has acted as a back-up for BJ Watling on the tour of UAE, has recently played for New Zealand A and is in the World Cup squad as the wicket-keeping understudy for Tom Latham. We see this offer as a strong vote of confidence in his future."

The players have until May 9 to accept or decline the offers made.

Players offered central contracts: Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, James Neesham, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Will Young.