He's officially back!

With the team’s next Dream11 Super Smash match just around the corner, BLACKCAPS fast bowler ADAM MILNE is out of Isolation and has been named in a strong Central Stags Ford Trophy squad to play Northern Districts tomorrow.

With torrential rain parked over the North Island, whether the Stags get to play their first one-day match of the season at Hamilton’s Seddon Park will depend on the whims of weather — but if they do, it will be Milne’s first one-day Ford Trophy appearance for Central since the 2017/18 Grand Final in February 2018.

Taking notes will be Hamish Rutherford’s Otago Volts who are poised to play the Central Stags in Napier this Saturday in the T20 format when the Central Hinds and Stags host a free admission Super Free Saturday in the Dream11 Super Smash at McLean Park. 

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The pace weapon from Palmy is surely in line to make his first Super Smash appearance since the 2019 Grand Final — a title won by the Central Stags who are leading this year’s competition after three games.

Milne took an explosive 3-12 on that special day at Seddon Park. Since then, the contracted Stag has overcome a niggly string of ankle injuries and surgeries to produce an outstanding calendar year’s cricket in which he won a BLACKCAPS recall, starred in the Big Bash, Vitality Blast, The Hundred and the IPL, and replaced Lockie Ferguson at the recent ICC World T20 Cup in which the BLACKCAPS finished runners-up.

Milne made his T20 debut for the Stags against the Chennai Super Kings in India at the Champions League as a young tearaway quick 10 years ago. At 29, he has matured into a player who knows his role — blasting out quick wickets — inside out, and has clearly been back to his dangerous best all around the globe this year.

Tomorrow's game may be the 1st time JOEY FIELD plays alongside MILNE

PHOTOSPORT

The forecast is looking more hopeful for Saturday’s T20 when the Stags will be at home for the first time in the campaign, a top-of-the-table clash from 2.40pm after the Central Hinds-Otago Sparks match at 11.10am in the doubleheader.

The Stags and Hinds then head to Milne’s home town of Palmerston North on 27 December to play the Auckland Aces, before back-to-back home doubleheaders at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park on 30 and 31 December, against Northern Brave and the Canterbury Kings.

CENTRAL STAGS

v

Northern Districts

Seddon Park, Hamilton

11am | Wed 15 December 2021

Tom Bruce — Taranaki — captain

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Dane Cleaver (w) — Manawatū

Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay

Greg Hay — Nelson

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Adam Milne — Manawatū

Seth Rance  — Wairarapa

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay

Coach — Rob Walter

Contracted players unavailable for selection: 

Ajaz Patel — MIQ

Ross Taylor — MIQ

Will Young — MIQ

Livescoring, livestream, schedule: at cdcricket.co.nz

Twitter updates: @CentralStags

Instagram updates: @CentralStags

Official hashtags: #FordTrophy #LoveTheStags

Article added: Tuesday 14 December 2021