Ford Trophy joint leaders the CENTRAL STAGS play their first Napier match of the summer this Sunday and are pleased to welcome back top order veteran BEN SMITH after his recovery from delicate repairs.

Smith missed the start of the white-ball campaign after suffering a blow to the box during the Plunket Shield in Auckland, requiring surgery for a ruptured testicle.

Smith comes into the squad tomorrow for ROSS TAYLOR who is unavailable for this round, with BRETT JOHNSON again in line for a potential one-day and Stags debut after having carried the drinks for Thursday's tight loss against the Auckland Aces.

The fifth-round result did no damage to the Stags' strong position on the table, however it cost the team a chance to go clear - something the side would dearly like to achieve in their rematch with the Wellington Firebirds tomorrow.

PHOTOSPORT

Having beaten the Aces soundly on Tuesday last week, the Stags hit a speed bump on Thursday and found themselves in the uncustomary position of 15/5 after having been sent in on a slow, tricky surface on Thursday agains Auckland.

PHOTOSPORT

Yet they recovered to post a defendable 147 thanks to a gritty 46 from BRAD SCHMULIAN at the top and a career best 45 off 43 balls from SETH RANCE who sent the ball flying into the terraces to give himself something to bowl at.

PHOTOSPORT

Coming hot on the heels of his career best List A bowling, it's been a strong summer already for Rance who is the country’s second equal top wicket-taker of the competition (one behind Canterbury’s hat-trick man Henry Shipley, and equal with Otago Volt Jacob Duffy on 11), but it was BRETT RANDELL  in the wickets column with 3-25 and RAY TOOLE with 2-27 on Thursday, all five bowlers enjoying the conditions.

RAY TOOLE | PHOTOSPORT

However, the Stags' total proved just a little too short thanks to a dogged fight from Auckland Aces captain Robbie O'Donnell who propped up the visitor's 150/7 with a fighting half century.

For the Stags, JACK BOYLE made his debut and was unlucky to have been painfully struck twice on the box before being dismissed for one on a difficult day for the top and middle order.

JACK BOYLE took 2 catches on debut | PHOTOSPORT

Meanwhile, it's been confirmed that young contracted Stags allounder JOEY FIELD will miss the rest of the summer following shoulder surgery.

The toss tomorrow is set for 10.30am, for an 11am start in the free admission match at McLean Park.

BRAD SCHMULIAN played a big role on Thursday | PHOTOSPORT

It's the last Ford Trophy match this side of Christmas, with the Central Stags then switching into T20 camp mode to get ready for the first Dream11 Super Smash doubleheader with the Central Hinds, also against Wellington, at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North on 27 December. With another big crowd expected this year, spectators are advised to secure their tickets online now.

The Ford Trophy is live-streamed for free here at www.cdcricket.co.nz

ROUND SIX • 2022/23

CENTRAL STAGS v WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS

McLean Park, Napier

11am • Thursday 15 December 2022

SQUAD

TOM Bruce (c) — Taranaki

JACK Boyle — Hawke’s Bay — uncapped

DOUG Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

JOSH Clarkson — Nelson

DANE Cleaver (w) — Manawatu

JAYDEN Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

BRETT Johnson — Hawke’s Bay — uncapped

SETH Rance — Wairarapa

BRETT Randell

BRAD Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay

BEN Smith — Whanganui

RAY Toole — Manawatu

Head Coach: ROB Walter

Get sorted now for the holiday season!

 

 

Contracted players unavailable for selection:

GREG Hay — Nelson (injury, hand)

ROSS Taylor — (personal reasons)

JOEY Field — Hawke's Bay (shoulder surgery)

 

WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS SQUAD

Troy Johnson (c)

Finn Allen

Luke Georgeson

Nick Kelly

Callum McLachlan

Iain McPeake

Ollie Newton

Rachin Ravindra

Tim Robinson

Michael Snedden

Logab van Beek

Peter Younghusband

 

 

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Article added: Saturday 17 December 2022