Either New Zealand Under 19 World Cup star JOEY FIELD or Wairarapa’s STEFAN HOOK will receive Central Districts first-class cap number 299 at the Basin Reserve this Sunday, after both men have been named in the Central Stags’ round-five Plunket Shield squad to play the Wellington Firebirds.

JOEY FIELD HAD AN EXCITING UNDER-19 WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA | PHOTOSPORT

A hamstring injury to strike bowler SETH RANCE that occurred whilst running to field a ball on the third day of a thrilling eight-wicket win against Northern Districts earlier this week has created a vacancy in the pace attack as the Stags continue their quest to become the first team since 1940 to win a hat-trick of New Zealand first-class titles.

Uncapped Hawke’s Bay youngster Field, who bowls right-arm pace, was named for the first time in the Stags’ first-round Plunket Shield squad in October, but ultimately carried the drinks for the side in Auckland as 12th man.

FIELD WARMING UP WITH ROSS TAYLOR IN ROUND ONE THIS SEASON | CDCA

Meanwhile it’s Hook's first call-up into the Plunket Shield squad since February 2017, a match in which the Masterton-born right-armer also served as 12th man.

Hook 24, claimed a five-wicket bag this week for Central Districts A against a strong Auckland A contingent in a fighting draw at Pukekura Park.

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CDCA Manager, High Performance Lance Hamilton commented, “Stefan has been a strong performer this season, initially for Wairarapa in the Furlong Cup where he took 16 wickets at an average of 15 — and, more recently, in his two CD A performances where he has been consistently hitting good areas and taking regular wickets.”

The Stags head into the top-of-the-table four-day clash holding a slender one-point lead, having usurped the Firebirds in the latest round and now halfway through the 2019/20 championship defence. A maximum of 80 points remains on the table from the last three rounds, with the Stags embarking on the first of two away matches — heading to Dunedin after the Basin Reserve — before returning for the final two crunch rounds of the summer at their happy home hunting ground of McLean Park.

Fresh of an outstanding first Plunket Shield double century as well as a Central Stags record nine dismissals in a first-class match against Northern Districts, wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver will head to the Basin with a first-class season average of 62.70 from 10 innings — including two big centuries (his career best 201 for the Stags and 196 for New Zealand A against India A) as well as two half centuries and 29 dismissals (including seven for New Zealand A).

Cleaver will also head into the fifth round closing in on 150 first-class dismissals as a wicketkeeper, having reached 143 with his career-best match effort on both fronts in Napier (11 of those 143 dismissals have been for New Zealand A with the balance for the Central Stags.

Young Stags allrounder Willem Ludick, 22 (above, CDCA), meanwhile heads to the Basin as the Plunket Shield’s equal top wicket-taker. Ludick now has 17 wickets for the summer at an average of just 17.00, and poised to overtake Neil Wagner (17 at 24.11) with the latter on BLACKCAPS duty against India.

CENTRAL STAGS squad

Round 5 v Wellington Firebirds

Basin Reserve, Wellington

10.30am • Sunday 1-Wednesday 4 March 2020

GREG Hay – captain — Nelson

TOM Bruce – Taranaki

DANE Cleaver – Manawatū

JOEY FIELD – Hawke's Bay — potential first-class debut

STEFAN HOOK – Wairarapa — potential first-class debut

WILLEM LUDICK – Nelson

BRAD SCHMULIAN – Hawke's Bay

BEN SMITH – Whanganui   

BLAIR TICKNER – Hawke's Bay

RAY TOOLE – Manawatū

GEORGE WORKER – Manawatū

WILL YOUNG – Taranaki

Coach — Aldin Smith

Unavailable for selection - injury

Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Seth Rance, Bevan Small, Ben Stoyanoff, Ben Wheeler

Unavailable for selection

Ajaz Patel (BLACKCAPS), Ross Taylor (BLACKCAPS); Kieran Noema-Barnett

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Article added: Friday 28 February 2020