The countdown in on to the HRV Cup and the Central Stags are one team targeting a return to the limelight in 2010.
The Stags won the Twenty20 competition two years ago but last year managed just one win from eight matches in a dramatic fall from favour.
With Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor back in the fold for the 2010 HRV Cup – along with the grand prize of a potential place in the Champions League – the Stags are a team determined to lift the silverware this year.
Captain Jamie How said the injection of ability and experience from the likes of Taylor and Oram gives the Stags a lot of confidence leading into the 2010 competition.
“We’re really looking forward to the competition and we head into the HRV Cup with plenty of confidence,” he said.
The opportunity to take the team overseas to compete on an international stage adds an extra motivation to the players. How said a number of players have been overseas and brought back interesting stories. “We’ve heard stories from Ross and Jacob about the IPL and it would just be a great experience for our team to go overseas and get into that environment.”
The Stags also have international cricketer Graeme Napier coming in for the HRV Cup, and How is looking forward to the energy and excitement Napier will add. “He’s such a great player and we are really excited that he will be joining us this summer.”
For now How is hoping to continue the momentum from the one day competition into the HRV Cup. “We carry over the same skills from the one dayers; however there will be more pressure on those limited over skills. We will be doing the same things but we need to do them accurately,” he said.
“It’s going to be very exciting opportunity to show our skills and competitiveness against the best of the rest in New Zealand domestic cricket.”
