A top-of-the-table clash at the Basin Reserve is the highlight of round two in New Zealand’s first-class cricket season — starting 10.30am this Saturday with free entry every day to all matches.
Early Plunket Shield leaders Northern Districts are coming off a devastating first-up bowling performance and go up against the only other winner from last weekend, the Wellington Firebirds.
Both teams have named unchanged squads, likewise the Auckland Aces and Central Stags are unchanged for their respective clashes.
The Aces will be at home for the first time this season, hosting the Volts at Eden Park Outer Oval — where they will be up against Test BLACKCAP Neil Wagner, back from India and ready to let rip in his first Plunket Shield match of the season.
Rob Nicol’s Aces, the defending champions, are eager to put their opening-round loss behind them, having been stung by the Firebirds — and likewise, Canterbury is out to make amends after their shock loss to Northern Districts earlier this week.
Canterbury has had one change forced upon them after opening batsman Chad Bowes took a blow to the helmet in the opening round. He’s been replaced in the squad to play the Central Stags by Cole McConchie.
The Stags will meanwhile be keeping an extra-sharp eye on the wickets column with last season’s top Plunket Shield wicket-taker, off-spinner Ajaz Patel, needing just another two wickets to pin his 100th first-class victim to the board in this round. Auckland Aces opener Jeet Raval meanwhile requires just 10 runs to reach 5000 first-class career runs overall.
Round TWO, Saturday 29 October to Tuesday 1 November 2016
Auckland Aces v Otago Volts at Eden Park Outer Oval
Wellington Firebirds v Northern Districts at Basin Reserve
Canterbury v Central Stags at Hagley Oval
• 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
• The livescoring features LIVE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS so you can see the key action as it happens
• Social hashtag: #PlunketShield
• Plunket Shield points table
2016/17 Plunket Shield Season Calendar
