He's back! Stags swing king SETH RANCE has returned from his calf injury, accompanied by left-armer RAY TOOLE as the Central Stags head to Hamilton for their last clashes of The Ford Trophy season.

The return of the pace pair is timely for the Stags who lost the services of BLAIR TICKNER in their last match on Sunday, after the big strike bowler re-split the webbing in his hand and was left unable to take any further part with bat or ball.

Promising Toole comes in for his first appearance in the squad since December to take the Stags to thirteen for the Friday and Sunday games at Seddon Park where the strong visitors will be looking to right the ship and end their campaign on a high against current joint leaders and hosts Northern Districts.

RAY TOOLE

The Stags meanwhile are in the unfamiliar position of being last on the ladder, and became the first side to drop out of finals contention after back-to-back losses against defending champions the Auckland Aces last weekend.

Trailing the fifth-placed Otago Volts by nine points, the prospects of finishing any higher this summer are now mathematical, but the squad is determined to lift its game in their last white-ball matches of 2020/21 - and to then take that winning momentum back into the business end of the red-ball Plunket Shield.

Rance will bring energy to the camp on and off the field against Central's border rivals, both Friday's and Sunday's games beginning in Hamilton at 11AM and all the action livestreamed.

Rance comes into the squad with 81 Ford Trophy wickets with a best of 4-32.

While the white-ball season hasn't gone to plan for our Central men, our Central Hinds will be heading home to Pukekura Park in two weeks' time looking to lock in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Grand Final, with free admission back-to-back one-dayers against Northern Districts on Saturday and Sunday 13 & 14 March, and just one point separating the top three Finals contenders in these last two rounds before the Final.

CENTRAL STAGS SQUAD : ROUNDS 9 & 10

v Northern Districts

Seddon Park

Round 9 • 11am • Friday 26 February

Round 10 • 11am • Sunday 28 February

Admission: Free

Tom BRUCE (c)

Josh CLARKSON

Dane CLEAVER (w)

Joey FIELD

Jayden LENNOX

Christian LEOPARD

Ajaz PATEL

Seth RANCE

Ross TAYLOR

Ray TOOLE

Ben WHEELER

George WORKER

Will YOUNG

Coach: Aldin Smith

Assistant coach: Dave Meiring

Unavailable for selection

Doug Bracewell (side strain) Blair Tickner (split webbing)

Current FORD TROPHY points

Canterbury 22

ND 22

Wellington Firebirds 18

Auckland Aces 18

Otago Volts 16

Central Stags 7

Points Awarded

Won - 4, Lost - 0, Tied - 2, No Result - 2, Abandoned - 2, Bonus Point (run rate 1.25 x opposition's - 1)

Full schedule: http://www.cdcricket.co.nz/Fanzone-1/Events-whats-on

Livescoring:  https://scoring.nzc.nz/centraldistricts

Twitter and Instagram updates: @CentralStags

Official hashtags: #FordTrophy #LoveTheStags

Article added: Thursday 25 February 2021