This Saturday's Ford Trophy Grand Final between Canterbury and the Auckland Aces sees both teams welcoming back their regular captains. Oh, and a bunch of big-hitting and wicket-smashing BLACKCAPS!
Canterbury's big news is the return at last of BLACKCAP Henry Shipley, the tall allrounder set to make his first appearance since having been sidelined by stress fractures in his back.
He's not the only change in the top qualifier's squad, Canterbury also getting back the rich experience of regular captain Cole McConchie as they look to go one better than last year's runner-up finish to the Central Stags.
McConchie missed the last round of the regular season with split webbing in his hand, but the tantalising prospect of a home Ford Trophy Grand Final at Hagley Oval this time was too good to miss, even if the paw is still a little sore.
McConchie regains the services of senior BLACKCAP Tom Latham (below) as well as exciting big paceman Will O'Rourke (above).
The red and blacks having been building up all week after having inked in a direct ticket to this trophy decider - that begins 10.30am Saturday morning, with live coverage on TVNZ+ and SENZ, and free admission (with a gold coin donation to charity).
"The boys have had a great week's preparation and just looking forward to getting stuck in tomorrow," said McConchie today.
"It's really special to have BLACKCAPS back, and not only Tommy Latham and Will O'Rourke, but to welcome back Henry Shipley.
"What he's been through over the last six months, coming back from that stress fracture in the back - he's been very diligent with his preparation and all the batters have found it very challenging facing him in the nets over the last six to eight weeks. So we're really stoked to have him back on the park."
McConchie says last year's Ford Trophy disappointment is long gone for his side.
"Last year, we didn't put our blueprint that we want to play into action. This year, we've been playing some great cricket coming into this final, solid with our own plans individually and as a team.
"If we do that tomorrow, I think we're a really good chance - coming up against a really strong Auckland Aces team, so we are going to have to be at the top of our game. I'm sure it's going to be a cracker of game tomorrow."
Besides the incoming players, Leo Carter (who deputised for McConchie in Round 10) and Henry Nicholls have been in fierce, red-hot form with the bat, rewriting some of the big Canterbury records together during the latter part of the season.
"It's been really key this season to have those guys at the top of the order contributing," said McConchie, "and not just with 'contributions', but with big, match-winning totals. Hopefully one or both of them can go big again tomorrow."
The Auckland Aces meanwhile have allrounder Sean Solia back after the 2023/24 Ford Trophy captain rolled his ankle in training, sitting out a few rounds at the back end of the campaign.
Previous team captain Robbie O'Donnell was able to take over the tiller again, and steered the Aces home in Wednesday's Elimination Final win over the Otago Volts in Dunedin with his third List A century - and second of the summer.
The Aces have lost their other centurion from that big knockout, Marty Guptill heading off overseas. But they have a very experienced practitioner in left-hand top order man George Worker (below) to slot in in Guptill's stead, with Worker no stranger to winning this trophy.
"It's a huge loss with Guppy out, he came in and made an instant impact with his performance," said Solia in sunny Christchurch.
"He's off to the PSL, but George brings huge experience with him, and the boys are pumped to have him back in the sheds.
"Robbie O'Donnell is meanwhile the top run-scorer in The Ford Trophy this season and he's just going from strength to strength, so with the form he's in at the moment, it gives us good confidence heading into tomorrow."
O'Donnell literally had a big hand in the Aces' last Ford Trophy title, against the Stags in Queenstown in the 2021/22 summer, with an unforgettably brilliant catch. That was the last time the Aces lifted the trophy but they've been regular champions in the last decade.
"That 2022 summer was a hell of a season for us, we had quite a few games we had to win back to back, and George was in incredible form with four hundreds that season," recalls Solia.
"So we did it, and then that catch from Robbie - I vividly still remember Robbie running back and then the diving, one-handed catch over his head. The boys were pumped!
"Something like that would be pretty special tomorrow too! Hopefully the boys can put on a good show."
Last season there was sibling rivalry in the Grand Final with Jack Boyle (Central Stags) getting bragging rights over his brother Matt Boyle (Canterbury).
Tomorrow it's the McKenzie family who will be sitting on the fence with Canterbury's Angus McKenzie up against his rugby-playing allrounder bro Jock McKenzie (Auckland Aces, below).
The toss is at 10am with livescoring at www.nzc.nz and on the NZC app.
SQUADS
CANTERBURY (Q1)
Cole McConchie (c)
Chad Bowes
Leo Carter
Zak Foulkes
Mitch Hay (w)
Tom Latham
Angus McKenzie
Henry Nicholls
Will O'Rourke
Michael Rippon
Fraser Sheat
Henry Shipley
AUCKLAND ACES (Q3, Winner of the Elimination Final)
Sean Solia (c)
Cole Brigss
Louis Delport
Danru Ferns
Cam Fletcher (w)
Ryan Harrison
Ben Lister
Jock McKenzie
Robbie O'Donnell
Will O'Donnell
Angus Olliver
Nikith Perera
George Worker
all images: PHOTOSPORT
