Four Bay of Plenty cricketers have been awarded contracts by Northern Districts for the 2018/19 season.

Former Blackcaps internationals Daniel Flynn and Dean Brownlie have retained their places on the list, along with dynamic all-rounder Brett Hampton and stylish top-order batsman Bharat Popli.

The four were named among an initial group of 15 contracted players with one further to be added in the coming weeks.

Flynn will be padding up for his 15^th season in ND colours since his debut in a List A match in December 2004. In that time he's played a remarkable 325 matches for the association in all formats.

Since his arrival in Tauranga in 2012, following a three-year stint in Canterbury after migrating from his home city of Perth, Western Australia, Brownlie has also become a stalwart for ND. He captained the Knights to last season's McDonalds Super Smash title, sealing it in a memorable final victory over Central Districts in Hamilton.

Popli has been primarily a long-form player for Northern, having played 38 Plunket Shield matches for the association since his December 2013 debut, amassing 2337 runs at an average of 38.95. He can claim to be on the fringes of Blackcaps selection having made the New Zealand XI for a warmup 50-over match against Pakistan in January.

With a career strikerate of 152 in T20s, Hampton made his name primarily as a white-ball player who can turn an innings with the bat when needed.

ND along with the country's other five major associations can contract up to 16 players in addition to their current internationals such as Kane Williamson and Trent Boult who are centrally contracted to New Zealand Cricket.