It’s “moving time” in the Plunket Shield as New Zealand’s first-class competition heads into the last round this side of Christmas.
As we approach the midpoint of the 10-round comp, depleted competition leaders Northern Districts are in a tricky spot. ND looks likely to have their fourth captain this season during this round — Dean Brownlie briefly taking the reins after injuries to first Daniel Flynn (hip) and now Anton Devcich (ligament damage), who is likely to miss the remainder of the season. But now Brownlie has been called in as cover for the BLACKCAPS Test, meaning yet another step-in leader in their fifth round Napier contest may be required.
The return of Jesse Ryder to red-ball cricket will be one of the talking points for the Central Stags in that encounter at Nelson Park — the setting for Ryder’s first Plunket Shield appearance since March 2015 (when he scored 92 and 25 for the Otago Volts against Northern Districts in Hamilton).
Ryder has played 23 first-class matches for Essex in the intervening seasons, with his most recent red ball County appearance in June this year. Meanwhile, it is his first first-class appearance for the Central Stags since December 2003. The unframed boundaries at Nelson Park combined with Ryder’s penchant for finding them could be a very exciting combination.
In Rangiora, Firebird Luke Woodcock looks likely to finally get the chance to wear a record-breaking 121st first-class cap for the Wellington Firebirds — and, with 6557 first-class runs for Wellington heading into the match, he needs just nine runs in round four to surpass Matthew Bell’s all-time Firebirds record of 6565.
Selected Statistics — Round Five
•Firebirds pace bowler Brent Arnel requires one more wicket to reach 350 first-class wickets
•Derek de Boorder requires 8 runs to reach 4000 first-class career runs; and 171 runs to reach 4000 first-class runs for the Otago Volts
•With the Central Stags having been unable to play in round four, the Aces’ leg-spinner Tarun Nethula (20 wickets from four matches) has leap-frogged the Stags’ left-arm off-spinner Ajaz Patel (19 from three rounds) at the top of the Plunket Shield bowling table
•If selected in the playing XI, it will be Luke Woodcock’s 121st first-class cap for the Wellington Firebirds — breaking Evan Gray’s long-standing Wellington record — and he needs nine runs to surpass Matthew Bell’s all-time Firebirds first-class career runs record of 6565. Only James Marshall has played more New Zealand domestic first-class matches. Woodcock is also currently the leading runscorer in the 2016/17 Plunket Shield with 427 runs, ahead of the Otago Volts’ Brad Wilson (400).
•If selected in the playing XI, Sean Solia and Elliott Herd will be one first-class debut for the Auckland Aces today.
Round FIVE, Tuesday 22 to Friday 25 November 2016:
Central Stags v Northern Districts at Nelson Park, Napier
Otago Volts v Wellington Firebirds at University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
Canterbury v Auckland Aces at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
• All four-day matches begin at 10.30am
• All matches are FREE ENTRY, gates open 10am
• All matches are livescored at www.blackcaps.co.nz
• Livescoring LIVE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, see action as it happens
• Social hashtag: #PlunketShield
2016/17 Plunket Shield Season Calendar
Round six will begin 25 February 2017, following this season’s McDonald’s Super Smash and Ford Trophy competitions.
