The Central Stags and Hinds squads have been named for a big weekend of national one-day cricket, the Stags opening their Ford Trophy defence in Nelson this Saturday and the Hinds heading into a top-of-the-table Hallyburton Johnstone Shield doubleheader in Auckland over the weekend.

All games start at 10.30am with keeper-batsman and BLACKCAP Dane Cleaver reprising his role as Stags captain tomorrow in the absence of regular skipper Tom Bruce.

Bruce and Doug Bracewell picked up injuries over the last two rounds of the Plunket Shield first-class championship, while Ajaz Patel has departed for the BLACKCAPS’ Bangladesh Test tour - ushering in fellow Hawke’s Bay off-spinners Jayden Lennox and Angus Schaw who are both in the frame for a potential first start of the season, along with veteran runscorer Ben Smith, Bevan Small and paceman Liam Dudding.

GO DANEY | PHOTOSPORT

Of the side that lifted The Ford Trophy in March, Cleaver, Smith, Lennox, Small, Jack Boyle, Brad Schmulian, Josh Clarkson and Ray Toole have all been named in the first round of the title defence against Northern Districts, with the toss set for 10am tomorrow at Saxton Oval.

Clarkson was the star of The Ford Trophy Grand Final in March, smashing a matchwinning unbeaten century (111 not out off just 78 balls) in a monster partnership with Bruce to brush aside Canterbury for the trophy.

Clarkson made the New Zealand A team to tour Australia this winter on the back of his outstanding 2022/23 summer in both the first-class and one-day formats, and says he can’t wait to be back playing white-ball cricket tomorrow in his home town.

JOSH CLARKSON SMASHED A HUNDRED IN THIS YEAR'S FINAL | PHOTOSPORT

And, the weather’s looking good.

“After winning it last year, it’s exciting to start off the campaign in my home town, and I’m really looking forward to it. And it’s always sunny in Nelson, of course!”

What did that matchwinning ton in March mean to the powerful big striker?

“It was pretty important to me, for sure. But it’s a new season now, so I’m focusing on that and just looking forward to getting game one underway with the boys against ND who are always a good challenge.

“We’ve got a few injuries in the camp, but last season we had a few injuries as well, and we have full confidence in the full set of 16 players that we have available in our wider squad, so we’ll be fine.”

Former Central Stags captain Jarrod Englefield will join the team as Assistant Coach to Glenn Pocknall for the match.

JARROD ENGLEFIELD HITS THE WINNING RUNS IN 2005 | PHOTOSPORT

 

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The Central Hinds have meanwhile named the same squad from their winning opening weekend in Palmerston North, with the addition of Wairarapa's Melissa Hansen who brings the squad to 13 for the two games away to the Auckland Hearts.

The Hinds smashed their way to a five-wicket DLS win in the first round of the summer, then had the Canterbury Magicians three down early in a tantalising chase when rain washed out their second round.

 

With the Hearts meanwhile having taken a DLS bonus point win against ND in Northland, as well as a total washout, that’s set up the top of the table clash with the Hearts heading in on seven points and the Hinds just a whisker behind them on six.

Assistant Coach Deepak Joon takes over the Head Coach role while regular Head Coach Jacob Oram is in Bangladesh assisting the BLACKCAPS, with Georgia Atkinson and Mikaela Greig leading the batting charts nationally after their flying start to the summer.

Both struck their their career bests against the Magicians in round one, Atkinson producing her third List A half century of the calendar year with her top score of 89 (after two half tons during a strong off-season playing List A cricket in Ireland).

MIKAELA GREIG CELEBRATES HER 50 | PHOTOSPORT

Greig went on to an unbeaten 84* as they shared a partnership of 145 that threatened a long-standing fourth-wicket record still held, just, by Aimee Watkins and Sara McGlashan.

With a few more runs in Sunday’s washout (Greig top-scoring this time, while Atkinson was in her 50th cap match for the Hinds), they’re the top two runscorers in the country so far this season, Greig averaging a smoking 123.00.

All Ford Trophy and Hallyburton Johnstone Shield matches are livestreamed and live-scored at www.cdcricket.co.nz from 10.30am tomorrow.

The Central Districts A men’s squad is also gearing up for action with three T20s at the annual Taupō Quadrangular Tournament on Monday and Tuesday next week, followed by a one-day match (a ‘home’ fixture that will be played in Taupō for logistic ease, against Canterbury A on Wednesday. The CD A squad will be named on Sunday.

 

2023/24

HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD

versus

AUCKLAND HEARTS

10.30am

Kennards Hire Community Oval (Eden Park) Auckland

ROUND THREE • Saturday 25 November, 2023

ROUND FOUR • Sunday 26 November, 2023

NATALIE Dodd (captain, wicketkeeper) - Taranaki

GEORGIA Atkinson - Wairarapa

OCEAN Bartlett - Wairarapa

FLORA Devonshire - Hawke's Bay

CLAUDIA Green - Nelson

MIKAELA Greig - Manawatū

MELISSA Hansen - Wairarapa

ASHTUTI Kumar - Manawatū

EMMA McLeod - Hawke's Bay

ROSEMARY Mair - Hawke's Bay

THAMSYN Newton - Hawke's Bay

HANNAH Rowe - Manawatū

KERRY Tomlinson - Hawke's Bay

Coach: DEEPAK Joon

 

 

 

 

2023/24

 

THE FORD TROPHY

versus

NORTHERN DISTRICTS

 

10.30am

Saxton Oval (free admission) Nelson

ROUND ONE • Saturday 25 November, 2023

DANE Cleaver (captain, wicketkeeper) - Manawatū

JACK Boyle - Hawke's Bay

WILL Clark - Hawke's Bay

JOSH Clarkson - Nelson

LIAM Dudding - Hawke's Bay

JAYDEN Lennox - Hawke's Bay

ANGUS Schaw - Hawke's Bay

BRAD Schmulian - Hawke's Bay

BEVAN Small - Manawatū

BEN Smith - Whanganui

RAY Toole - Manawatū

BLAIR Tickner - Hawke's Bay

Coach: GLENN Pocknall

Contracted players unavailable for selection:

WILL Young — BLACKCAPS Tour of Bangladesh

AJAZ PATEL — BLACKCAPS Tour of Bangladesh

TOM Bruce — Injury (adductor)

DOUG Bracewell — Injury (knee)

BRETT Randell — family commitments

JOEY Field — return to play process following shoulder rehabilitation

Article added: Friday 24 November 2023