Dunedin, Hamilton and Wellington cricket lovers are in for a treat with a chance to spot a raft of BLACKCAPS turning out for their first-class cricket teams from tomorrow.
Round Four of the Plunket Shield gets underway at 10.30am at the Basin Reserve (unbeaten Firebirds v Canterbury), Seddon Park (Northern Districts v the Auckland Aces) and University of Otago Oval (Volts v the unbeaten Central Stags) and entry to all four days of the hard fought, red-ball cricket warfare as always is free.
Adam Milne v Neil Wagner will be a fiery match-up. PHOTOSPORT
With the weather forecast to be a Dunner Stunner, the Volts are charging up for an epic clash with a rocket-boosted Central Stags side that features Ross Taylor (making his first Plunket Shield appearance in two years), fast bowler Adam Milne, Tom Bruce and George Worker amongst its current or recent BLACKCAPS, not to mention a red hot Jesse Ryder who’s banked two centuries and an 89 already this season to be leading both the competition’s batting averages (with 185.00) and run aggregrate.
The Stags have such a strong batting line-up that they can afford to omit double centurion Brad Schmulian for this round, while the returning BLACKCAPS have helped ease the loss of Seth Rance, Bevan Small (both with leg niggles) and Doug Bracewell, who has been in great nick already with both bat and ball but is being rested in a managed comeback from his major knee surgery over the off season.
While hosts the Volts are meanwhile largely unchanged (Matt Bacon coming in for Warren Barnes being the only change), they’re also packing vat-loads of experience, with recent BLACKCAPS Jimmy Neesham and Neil Broom, not to mention Neil Wagner champing at the bit for a serious workout against top batsmen ahead of the BLACKCAPS Test season.
Volts v Stags at University of Otago Oval, Dunedin, 15-18 November
Otago Volts
Rob Nicol (captain), Matthew Bacon (potential Volts debut; previously three matches for Wellington Firebirds), Neil Broom, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Anaru Kitchen, Jimmy Neesham, Michael Rae, Hamish Rutherford, Brad Wilson, Neil Wagner
Central Stags
Will Young (captain), Greg Hay, George Worker, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Adam Milne, Ajaz Patel, Navin Patel, Blair Tickner, Ryan Watson (Taranaki; potential first-class debut)
Trent Boult will be a handful on Seddon Park. PHOTOSPORT
With Seddon Park just a handy stroll from the CBD, its grassy banks will be a prime spot for an office break or lunch with an all-star cast turning out for the home Northern Districts team — including BLACKCAPS captain Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, as well as BJ Watling who is back from a short injury layoff after the opening round. Daryl Mitchell (shoulder) and Dean Brownlie (arm) sit this one out due to injury while seamer Brent Arnel, who took five wickets in an innings here last week, is being rested.
First chance to see Kane Williamson in action this home summer. PHOTOSPORT
It's a rare chance to see BLACKCAPS captain Kane Williamson in ND colours and the fortified ND line-up is up against their neighbours the Auckland Aces who finally got their 2017/18 campaign rolling last week with a good win at home last week against the Volts.
The Aces' bowling hero of that encounter, quick Lockie Feguson, will get a chance to nurse his battered thumb this week, but the Aces still pack plenty of exciting firepower with the return of BLACKCAPS Martin Guptill, the impressive young Glenn Phillips, master blaster Colin Munro and crowd-pleasing big hitter Colin de Grandhomme. Two explosive line-ups going head to head in the Tron, should be a good one to see!
Martin Guptill makes his first Plunket Shield appearance in 12 months for the Aces. PHOTOSPORT
Northern Districts v Auckland Aces at Seddon Park, Hamilton 15-18 November
Northern Districts
Daniel Flynn (captain), James Baker, Trent Boult, Anton Devcich, Scott Kuggeleijn, Bharat Popli, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson
Auckland Aces
Michael Guptill-Bunce (captain), Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Danru Ferns, Martin Guptill, Ben Horne, Ben Lister, Matt McEwan, Colin Munro, Robbie O’Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Jeet Raval
Firebirds legend Michael Papps heads back to where he scored a triple century in Round One. PHOTOSPORT
Having picked up maximum points from all three of the first three rounds, the table-topping Wellington Firebirds are the only unchanged squad heading into tomorrow’s Round Four clashes, with bowling allrounder Logan van Beek coming off a match-winning 10 wickets in a match.
The Birds go up against struggling, injury-hit defending champions Canterbury who will be very pleased to now have the services of returning BLACKCAPS Tom Latham, Matt Henry and Henry Nicholls, as well as leg-spinning veteran Todd Astle who returns from the injury that saw him depart India early.
Astle (below) and captain Andrew Ellis are both in line to chalk up their 100th first-class appearance for Canterbury tomorrow.
PHOTOSPORT
Wellington Firebirds v Canterbury at Basin Reserve, Wellington, 15-18 November
Wellington Firebirds
Michael Bracewell (captain), Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell, Fraser Colson, Iain McPeake, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Jeetan Patel, Michael Papps, Matt Taylor, Logan van Beek, Luke Woodcock
Canterbury
Andrew Ellis (captain), Todd Astle, Chad Bowes, Cameron Fletcher, Matt Henry, Tim Johnston, Tom Latham, Ken McClure. Tim Johnston, Henry Nicholls, Henry Shipley, Will Williams.
• Live Video-scorecards for all matches will be here at nzc.nz from 10.30am.
• Official social media hashtag: #PlunketShield
