New Zealand's Cricket selection panel have been given an extension to their contracts until May next year.

They will now end at the completion of New Zealand's tour to Sri Lanka, after the World Cup.

The contracts for Sir Richard Hadlee (chairman), Ross Dykes and Brian McKechnie were due to expire at the end of this month.

Contracts are normally offered for a two-year period.

However, New Zealand Cricket's operations manager John Reid said today the contract extension was designed to ensure that future contract cycles would fall into the middle of the period between World Cups.

"In terms of supporting the TelstraClear Black Caps' World Cup planning and strategy, there is obviously sound reasoning behind wanting to ensure the opportunity for change is at a time reasonably spaced between World Cups.

"The selection panel is one of the key ingredients in the strategic approach to World Cups and New Zealand Cricket believes this change to their contract period will benefit future planning," he said.

© CricInfo