The Central Stags have signed current English One Day international Mike Yardy and former English international Ian Blackwell as they look to defend the HRV Cup that they secured last year.
Central Districts Chief Executive Hugh Henderson said: “Being the defending Champions and having recently participated in the Champions League in South Africa, we had a number of players expressing interest in joining the Stags for this year’s HRV Cup”.
With Ross Taylor’s participation likely to be limited through BLACKCAPS commitments; injury ruling out Graham Napier; and Jacob Oram’s return from knee surgery likely to rule him out for the early stages, the Stags have recruited two quality all-rounders to bolster their ranks.
“We learnt a lot through our participation in the Champions League in September, and this experience definitely shaped our thinking around who we would contract and what we needed to win the HRV Cup again” Henderson said. “Both players bring a wealth of experience, particularly in the shorter format of the game and will fit in well to what is a tight knit group with a real desire to win the competition again”.
Yardy, 29, has been a regular member of the England One Day and Twenty20 sides over the past twelve months is excited about the opportunity to play in New Zealand this summer. “I am delighted to have reached an agreement to play for the Central Stags in the HRV Cup competition this season. I look forward to contributing to a new team with a proven track record in NZ and hope I can play a key role in repeating the team’s success from last season as well as enjoy my time in what I understand is a wonderful part of the world.”
Hard hitting batsman and slow left arm bowler Ian Blackwell, 32, sees the chance as a great opportunity for both himself and the Stags. “Obviously I’m looking forward to playing in the HRV Cup for the Stags. It’s a great opportunity for me to show what I’m capable of outside of England, and I hope we build on last year and qualify for the Champions League again. I’m sure it will be a real test, but it’s one I’m relishing.”
Stags Coach Alan Hunt welcomed the addition of the two Englishmen. “We saw firsthand at the Champions League the value of two spinners working in tandem through the middle of an innings. In securing two players that can fulfil that role, as well as being powerful top order batsman, I think that we have an ideal balance to our side”.
“Our young pace bowlers showed considerable promise in South Africa and when we add Mike and Ian to an experienced batting line that includes the likes of Jamie How, Peter Ingram and Mathew Sinclair, we have some very exciting talent”.
Both Yardy and Blackwell will be with the Stags for the duration of the HRV Cup with their first game being against the Northern Knights on the 2nd of December.
