BLAIR TICKNER will boost the Central Stags in Queenstown tomorrow as the team gets ready to contest the 2021/22 Ford Trophy Grand Final.

Tickner has been released from the BLACKCAPS' Test squad in Christchurch as the Stags head into their first national one-day Final since 2017 - live on Spark Sport from 11am tomorrow (Saturday).

RAY TOOLE remains with the squad to take the Final group to 13, after Toole rejoined the team in Auckland to provide cover for yesterday’s 10th round, following a knee injury to BEN WHEELER at training on Wednesday.

ROSS TAYLOR in action in Auckland | MBUTCHER

The Stags put a good total of 301 on the board in the last regular season match with Auckland, BRAD SCHMULIAN contributing a List A one-day career best 75 and ROSS TAYLOR adding yet another half century — 59 off 54 balls, including four sixes — to his unbeaten 111 and 50 in his last three games.

With ADAM MILNE (2-18 off six overs, including two maidens) once again on fire with his sharp deliveries, and a flurry of late wickets, the Stags drove the game to a last-over finish.

But the Auckland Aces got the chocolates on this occasion, a three-wicket win in the pre-Final clash squaring this season’s ledger between the teams to one-all.

The Aces had suffered a defeat at the hands of the Stags in the first round of the season, Central going through unbeaten until yesterday - and still maintaining the top qualifier position.

The Stags have headed to Queenstown seeking their seventh Ford Trophy title in their last white-ball match of their summer, after having last lifted the trophy back-to-back in 2015/16.

Milne - who has also spent this week being picked up by the Chennai Super Kings for this year’s IPL and being retained for the UK’s The Hundred - said it was exciting to be going up against a strong Aces squad again tomorrow as he looks forward to his first match in Queenstown since 2014, when he was just 21.

“I probably only bowled a couple of overs that day, but it’s such an amazing place to come to and play cricket.

"Hopefully tomorrow we can put on a show with bat and ball as well as the surroundings.”

Milne says that he’s been pleased with elements of his own game but is “always chasing perfection”.

“I’m always looking to improve with my next performance and it’s exciting to be going up against a strong team in tomorrow’s Final.

“There’s a number of BLACKCAPS in that Aces side and George Worker, a former CD man who’s scored four hundreds in the season. Very good batting and bowling talent in that side and an exciting batting line-up for them. But at the same time, we’ve got a number of class bowlers, so hopefully come tomorrow we can do the job.”

Milne said Ross Taylor’s presence through the back half of the campaign had been a great experience for the younger players in the squad.

“He’s a world class batter and to have his experience in the game and knowledge on the park, it’s a real asset. The young guys being able to mix with him and learn the game from him, it’s exciting for this comp.”

The match will be live-scored at cdcricket.co.nz from 11am NZT with the toss scheduled for 10.30am, weather permitting.

FORD TROPHY 2022 GRAND FINAL

Central Stags v Auckland Aces

John Davies Oval, Queenstown (closed gates)

11am • Saturday 26 February 2022

LIVE ON SPARK SPORT

CENTRAL STAGS

Tom Bruce — Taranaki — captain

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Adam Milne — Manawatu

Seth Rance — Wairarapa

Brad Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Ross Taylor — Manawatu

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Ray Toole — Manawatu

Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay — wicketkeeper

Coach — Rob Walter

Unavailable: WILL YOUNG (BLACKCAPS)

AJAZ PATEL, DANE CLEAVER, BEN WHEELER (injury)

Auckland Aces squad

Robbie O’Donnell - captain

Adithya Ashok

Mark Chapman

Lockie Ferguson

Martin Guptill 

Ben Horne - wicketkeeper

Simon Keene

Ben Lister

Glenn Phillips 

Ollie Pringle

Sean Solia

Will Somerville

George Worker

Livescoring: visit www.cdcricket.co.nz

Twitter updates: @CentralStags

Instagram coverage: @CentralStags

Official hashtags: #FordTrophy #LoveTheStags 

Article added: Friday 25 February 2022