CDCA has named a strong Central Stags line-up to play Northern Districts in the much anticipated opening round of the 2020/21 Plunket Shield which begins at 10.30am tomorrow at Seddon Park, Hamilton.

A calf niggle has sidelined BLACKCAPS Test spinner AJAZ PATEL from the opening first-class four-dayer, but the Stags team includes seven players who have represented the BLACKCAPS, including NZC-contracted batsmen ROSS TAYLOR and WILL YOUNG; as well as uncapped NZ Under 19 allrounder JOEY FIELD.

For Hamilton-based Taylor, the first match of the season will be a "home away game" and he's looking forward to hopefully playing a rare four matches on the bounce for the Stags against BLACKCAPS teammates he ordinarily seldom faces in red-ball cricket.

"I've played Waggy (Neil Wagner) a few times in County cricket, but I haven't faced Tim Southee a lot - we haven't really played a lot of Domestic cricket in the last five or six years," said Taylor in a humid Hamilton.

"Hopefully we can start off well against a very good Northern Districts side."

Central Districts Cricket has also today named a strong CD A side to play a three-day match against Wellington A at Napier’s Nelson Park from 10am tomorrow, to be captained by Central Stags batsman BEN SMITH. 

Besides Smith, the CD A line-up features a further seven players to have represented the Stags, and one player from the 13 in Hamilton is likely to be released to play in the CD A fixture.

Hawke’s Bay pace bowler LIAM DUDDING makes his return to a Central Districts side for the first time since 2018/19 following a year in Australia with Wairarapa’s Neil Perry to again coach the A side.

 

Tomorrow’s twin fixtures represent CDCA’s first day of representative cricket in seven months, since the arrival of COVID-19 in New Zealand forced the cancellation of the last two rounds of the eight-round 2019/20 Plunket Shield championship, in which defending champions the Stags were declared runners-up.

Pace duo ADAM MILNE (hamstring) and BEN WHEELER (knee) join Patel on the sidelines for the opening round this summer, all three with minor preseason niggles.

“After seven months it’s a disappointing way for me to start the season of course, but I’m looking forward to being back out there soon,” said Patel who became a contracted BLACKCAP for the first time this year.

Both the CD A and Plunket Shield fixtures are free admission and will be live-scored at https://scoring.nzc.nz/centraldistricts

ROUND ONE

CENTRAL STAGS v NORTHERN DISTRICTS 

Seddon Park, Hamilton

10.30am, 19-22 October 2020

Greg Hay (captain) — Nelson

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Tom Bruce — Taranaki

Dane Cleaver — Manawatū

Joey Field (uncapped) — Hawke’s Bay

Christian Leopard — Hawke’s Bay

Seth Rance — Wairarapa

Brad Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay

Ross Taylor — BLACKCAPS

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Ray Toole — Manawatū

George Worker — Manawatū

Will Young — BLACKCAPS

Coach: Aldin Smith

CENTRAL DISTRICTS A v WELLINGTON A

Nelson Park, Napier

10am, 19-21 October 2020
 

Ben Smith (captain) — Whanganui

Ma’ara Ave (w) — Marlborough

Will Clark — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Liam Dudding — Hawke’s Bay

Stefan Hook — Wairarapa

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Arana Noema Barnett — Manawatū

Ben Stoyanoff — Hawke’s Bay

Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay

Thomas Zohrab — Nelson

(One to be added)

Coach: Neil Perry

Live match centre: https://scoring.nzc.nz/centraldistricts 

Hashtags: #PlunketShield #CDTogether #LoveTheStags

Download season schedules: http://www.cdcricket.co.nz/Fanzone-1/Events-whats-on

Article added: Sunday 18 October 2020