• Strong Central Stags Squad for Plunket Shield

Strong Central Stags Squad for Plunket Shield

CDCA has named a strong Central Stags line-up to play Northern Districts in the much anticipated opening round of the 2020/21 Plunket Shield which begins at 10.30am tomorrow at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
 
A calf niggle has sidelined BLACKCAPS Test spinner Ajaz Patel from the opening first-class four-dayer, but the Stags team includes seven players who have represented the BLACKCAPS, including NZC-contracted batsmen Ross Taylor and Will Young; as well as uncapped NZ Under 19 allrounder Joey Field.
 
Central Districts Cricket has also today named a strong CD A side to play a three-day match against Wellington A at Napier’s Nelson Park from 10am tomorrow, to be captained by Central Stags batsman Ben Smith. 
 
Besides Smith, the CD A line-up features a further seven players to have represented the Stags, and one player from the 13 in Hamilton is likely to be released to play in the CD A fixture.
 
Hawke’s Bay pace bowler Liam Dudding makes his return to a Central Districts side for the first time since 2018/19 following a year in Australia with Wairarapa’s Neil Perry to again coach the A side.
 


Tomorrow’s twin fixtures represent CDCA’s first day of representative cricket in seven months, since the arrival of COVID-19 in New Zealand forced the cancellation of the last two rounds of the eight-round 2019/20 Plunket Shield championship, in which defending champions the Stags were declared runners-up.
 
Pace duo Adam Milne (hamstring) and Ben Wheeler (knee) join Patel on the sidelines for the opening round this summer, all three with minor preseason niggles.
 
“After seven months it’s a disappointing way for me to start the season of course, but I’m looking forward to being back out there soon,” said Patel who became a contracted BLACKCAP for the first time this year.
 
Both the CD A and Plunket Shield fixtures are free admission and will be live-scored at https://scoring.nzc.nz/centraldistricts
 


 
PLUNKET SHIELD ROUND ONE
CENTRAL STAGS v NORTHERN DISTRICTS 
 
Seddon Park, Hamilton
10.30am, 19-22 October 2020
 
Greg Hay (captain) — Nelson
Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay
Tom Bruce — Taranaki
Dane Cleaver — Manawatū
Joey Field (uncapped) — Hawke’s Bay
Christian Leopard — Hawke’s Bay
Seth Rance — Wairarapa
Brad Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay
Ross Taylor — BLACKCAPS
Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay
Ray Toole — Manawatū
George Worker — Manawatū
Will Young — BLACKCAPS
 
Coach: Aldin Smith


 
CENTRAL DISTRICTS A v WELLINGTON A

Nelson Park, Napier
10am, 19-21 October 2020


Ben Smith (captain) — Whanganui
Ma’ara Ave (w) — Marlborough
Will Clark — Hawke’s Bay
Josh Clarkson — Nelson
Liam Dudding — Hawke’s Bay
Stefan Hook — Wairarapa
Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay
Arana Noema Barnett — Manawatū
Ben Stoyanoff — Hawke’s Bay
Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay
Thomas Zohrab — Nelson
(One to be added)
 
Coach: Neil Perry