After having uplifted the Hawke Cup from Canterbury Country at the start of the season and defending it against Manawatū two weeks ago, Hawke's Bay is readying for this season's Zone 1 Challenge, from this Friday morning at HBCA's home fortress, Nelson Park in Napier.
Coached by former Test BLACKCAP and Northern Districts first-class rep Brent Arnel, Counties Manukau meanwhile won the right to make the Challenge from Zone 1, and have named a squad that includes two current Northern Districts representatives: left-hand batter Flynn McGregor-Sumpter, and Sandeep Patel, both from Manukau Cricket Club.
Patel (above) turned heads at the start of this season with a career-best, maiden first-class century, scoring 145 in just his second Plunket Shield match for Northern Districts.
With round eight of The Ford Trophy set for this Saturday – the Central Stags playing the Auckland Aces across the road at McLean Park, Hawke's Bay will be drawing on the depth in its squad, packed with experience, and is expected to name a strong starting XI in the morning, even minus a few Stags.
The Challenge is scheduled for 10.30am and is livescored at www.nzc.nz and on the NZC app, however rain has delayed proceedings this morning.
To claim the century-old Hawke Cup, Counties Manukau will need to either win outright, or beat Hawke's Bay on the first innings in the event of a draw.
Counties Manukau last challenged for the Hawke Cup in the 2017/18 season, ending a year-long tenure by a strong Bay of Plenty side.
Counties Manukau then went on to resist Challenges from both Taranaki and Canterbury Country before surrendering the precious piece of silver to Southland at the end of that summer.
HOLDER: Hawke's Bay Hawke Cup squad [updated]
Dominic Thompson (c), Sam Cassidy, Josh Fairbrother, Toby Findlay, Brett Johnson, Liam McCarthy, Lovepreet Padda, Charlie Pawson, Logan Ryniker-Doull, Ben Stoyanoff, Todd Watson, Jono Whitley
CHALLENGER: Counties Manukau Hawke Cup squad
Rohit Gulati, Ben Hawkes, Flynn McGregor-Sumpter, Aryan Mann, Marcel Marconi, James Naylor, Rikesh Patel, Sandeep Patel, David Shine, Reid Somani, Sam Varcoe, Luke Williamson
