Black Cap Young back for Central Stags
Fresh from taking a blinder of a catch in yesterday’s BLACKCAPS Test match win against Pakistan, Will Young will boost the Central Stags after having been named for tomorrow’s Dream11 Super Smash doubleheader in Dunedin.
Young is set to start in his first match since the second Test against the West Indies in mid-December as he replaces Ben Smith in the squad, with George Woker continuing as skipper.
Regular captain Tom Bruce remains in Taranaki on paternity watch while Bayley Wiggins has recovered from the bout of tonsillitis that sidelined him from Monday’s match in Hamilton.
The match is set to be BLACKCAP Blair Tickner’s 50th T20 appearance with the Stags heading into the first of their southern showdowns with a 2-2 record so far this season.
A win will see the Stags join leaders the Wellington Firebirds at the top of the table on 12 points, with the Canterbury Kings, Volts and Stags all bunched on eight points. However, the Kings (whom the Stags play on Sunday) have played just two games and the Volts three, while the Stags will be heading into their fifth match at the University of Otago Oval tomorrow afternoon.
The Central Hinds will open the card against the Otago Sparks in the morning, looking to get their first win on the board.
With Anlo van Deventer unavailable and WHITE FERN Rosemary Mair out with a side strain, the Hinds have two changes to the squad for Dunedin.
Having got CD’s national Under 19 defence off to a winning start yesterday in Lincoln, CD U19 women’s captain Ashtuti Kumar has made the dash south to return to the Hinds squad and Nelson’s Kate Gaging has been called into the Central Hinds squad for the first time.
A right-handed bat who is also a sharp young wicketkeeper, Gaging has been a regular in CD age-group sides.
She also won selection for New Zealand at U18 Indoor Cricket level, and bowls off-spin when not keeping.
Alongside twin sister Anna, Kate Gaging was part of the CD U19 team that lifted the inaugural national title last summer, and the now defunct title-winning CD U21 team before that.
Gaging represents the Tararua Kotahi in the Central Super League and Hinds coach Jamie Watkins says the 19-year-old has earned her maiden selection to the next level after “consistent performances over the last few years with the successful CD U21 and U19 teams, as well as hard work in the Nelson system with Nelson Coach BJ Barnett.
“Kate has also been playing Premier men’s cricket this season in Nelson.
"She’s another exciting prospect, her selection recognising the depth and good work of our Districts systems within CD.”
Both matches will be streamed on Spark Sport.
DREAM11 SUPER SMASH
University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
8 January 2021
CENTRAL HINDS
v Otago Sparks at 11.10AM
Hannah Rowe — co-captain — Manawatu
Jess Watkin — co-captain — Manawatu
Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu
Emily Cunningham — Taranaki
Natalie Dodd — wicketkeeper — Taranaki
Kate Gaging — Nelson
Claudia Green — Nelson
Mikaela Greig — Manawatu
Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa
Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatu
Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay
Monique Rees — Wairarapa
Coach: Jamie Watkins
CENTRAL STAGS
v Otago Volts at 3.10PM
George Worker — captain — Manawatu
Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay
Josh Clarkson — Nelson
Dane Cleaver — wicketkeeper — Manawatu
Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay
Jayden Lennox — uncapped — Hawke’s Bay
Christian Leopard — Hawke’s Bay
Kieran Noema-Barnett — Hawke’s Bay
Ajaz Patel — Hawke’s Bay
Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay
Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay
Will Young — Taranaki
Coach: Aldin Smith
Assistant Coach: Dion Ebrahim
