Potential debuts abound as the Central Stags and Hinds head into their first Dream11 Super Smash doubleheader of the 2022/23 T20 summer.

The Stags and Hinds open their campaign with a run of four home match days, starting at Palmerston North’s Fitzherbert Park tomorrow against the Wellington Blaze and Firebirds, followed by three Pukekura Park festivals on 30 December, New Year’s Eve and 5 January.

Having attracted a record crowd at Fitzherbert Park last year, the Hinds would dearly love to become the first team in more than a year to end defending champion Wellington Blaze’s 12-match winning streak that stretches back to game one of last season.

NATALIE DODD | PHOTOSPORT

Stacked with WHITE FERNS, the Blaze are heading to Palmy town to play a team captained by Manawatu local Jess Watkin and with fellow hometown reps Georgia Atkinson, WHITE FERNS seamer Hannah Rowe and Mikaela Greig.

Hawke’s Bay youngster Flora Devonshire has been named in the squad for the first time, fresh off the New Zealand Development Squad that toured India and bringing a rarity in New Zealand women’s cricket, a left-hand batter into the squad.

UNCAPPED FLORA DEVONSHIRE | PHOTOSPORT

While Devonshire is a potential debutante in the first match of the day, kicking off at 11am; ex-Brave paceman Brett Randell, ex-Firebirds leg-spinner Brett Johnson and Manawatu local, left-arm paceman Ray Toole all stand to make their T20 debuts for the high flying Central Stags tomorrow.

Randell and Johnson (below) have played in this competition previously with their former teams, Randell a member of last year’s title-winning squad at Northern with 17 matches under his belt.

The Stags are leading the country’s one-day Ford Trophy after six of 10 rounds and in the leading bunch in the Plunket Shield first-class championship, and have drawn on strong depth in the squad with its trio of Test BLACKCAPS, Blair Tickner, Will Young and Ajaz Patel, away in Pakistan.

Evergreen opening batsman Greg Hay and regular red-ball captain stands to make his first appearance of the season since breaking his forearm in the nets shortly before the summer began.

PHOTOSPORT

Hay was a revelation last summer, after he was recalled to the Stags T20 team following a seven-year absence, and will no doubt have a keen eye on the team’s 21 January fixture against the Otago Volts at his home ground, Nelson’s Saxton Oval.

Hay scored three fifties, including a career best 76 last season and, alongside 292-match veteran Ross Taylor brings two decades of cricketing nous to the squad.

DANE CLEAVER | PHOTOSPORT

Gates open at 10am tomorrow with the Hinds toss at 10.30am and the the Stags match set to follow with first ball at 2.40pm.

Last season’s Fitzherbert Park doubleheader on the same date broke the ground attendance record and spectators are strongly advised to buy their tickets online ahead of the match and arrive with plenty of time to minimise queues at the gate.

Both matches are live and on demand at Spark Sport with the Hinds match also on TVNZ Duke, and livescored here at www.cdcricket.co.nz

DREAM11 SUPER SMASH • ROUND ONE

Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

11am & 2.40pm, 27 December, 2022

Hinds toss: 10.30am

Stags toss: 2.10pm

Your ticket gets you into both games

What can I bring?

CENTRAL HINDS

v

Wellington Blaze

Jess Watkin (captain) — Manawatu

Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu

Ocean Bartlett — Wairarapa

Emily Cunningham — Taranaki

Flora Devonshire — Hawke’s Bay (uncapped)

Natalie Dodd (v-c, wicketkeeper) — Taranaki

Claudia Green — Nelson

Mikaela Greig — Manawatu

Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa

Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay

Hannah Rowe — Manawatu

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

COACH • Jamie Watkins

CENTRAL STAGS

v

Wellington Firebirds

Tom Bruce (captain) — Taranaki

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Dane Cleaver (wicketkeeper) — Manawatu

Greg Hay — Nelson

Brett Johnson (uncapped, previously Wellington Firebirds) — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Seth Rance — Wairarapa

Brett Randell (uncapped, previously Northern Brave)

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Ross Taylor — Manawatu/Wairarapa

Ray Toole (uncapped) — Manawatu

COACH • Rob Walter

Unavailable contracted players

Ajaz Patel (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Blair Tickner (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Will Young (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Joey Field (shoulder injury)

Article added: Monday 26 December 2022