Fresh off a monster win against the Otago Volts at the same ground, the CENTRAL STAGS have named an expanded squad of 13 for this Tuesday's free admission Ford Trophy one-dayer against the Auckland Aces at Pukekura Park.

It's the first of two "2022 Ford Trophy Grand Final rematches" with the Aces this week in New Plymouth, with the teams also meeting at the same ground this Thursday.

IMAGES | PHOTOSPORT

 

Tomorrow's Tuesday match was orginally scheduled to have been played as Auckland's home fixture at Colin Maiden Park today, however, the venue was weather-affected in the lead-up to The Ford Trophy and this game transferred to Pukekura Park for tomorrow.

After a personal commitment last weekend, BRETT RANDELL comes back into the Stags squad to take the group from 12 to 13 for Tuesday.

Another bonus-point win tomorrow for the team will see the Stags move back up to lead the table after four rounds, with most of the other sides now having played four rounds to the Stags and Volts' three rounds.

 

Defending Ford Trophy champions the Aces will be heading in still hungry, at the bottom of the table after their first four rounds produced three losses and a washout.

The Stags are meanwhile bouncing off a great start to the summer, with their home and away victories against the Volts both bringing a bonus point for the scale of the win.

WILL YOUNG (165 runs at 82.50) is behind only Canterbury opener Chad Bowes (182) in the runscoring charts with DANE CLEAVER (144 at 72.00) rounding out the top three nationally.

Young now requires just five more runs to reach a career milestone of 3000 List A one-day runs, with 10 centuries, 14 half centuries and a 40+ average overall.

With a best of 4-27, SETH RANCE is in the top three wicket-taking list with nine wickets so far at a phenomenally good average of 8.78, and not far behind is BLAIR TICKNER with seven at 13.14 in the strong attack.

There will be no surprises that TOM BRUCE, JOSH CLARKSON and ROSS TAYLOR have all stood out in the field with catches, Taylor celebrating his 50th Ford Trophy match last week with two good slip catches (and very nearly a third) off class allrounder DOUG BRACEWELL in the landslide 123-run victory.

The toss tomorrow is set for 10.30am, for an 11am start.

The Ford Trophy is also live-streamed for free here at www.cdcricket.co.nz

ROUND FOUR • 2022/23

(rescheduled fixture)

CENTRAL STAGS v AUCKLAND ACES

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

11am • Tuesday 13 December 2022

SQUAD

WILL Young (c) — Taranaki

DOUG Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

TOM Bruce — Taranaki

JOSH Clarkson — Nelson

DANE Cleaver (w) — Manawatu

JAYDEN Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

AJAZ Patel — Hawke’s Bay

SETH Rance — Wairarapa

BRETT Randell

BRAD Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay

ROSS Taylor — Wairarapa/Manawatu

RAY Toole — Manawatu

BLAIR Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Head Coach: ROB Walter

Contracted players unavailable for selection:

GREG Hay — Nelson (injury)

BEN Smith — Whanganui (injury)

JOEY Field — Hawke's Bay (injury)

CURTIS Heaphy — NZ Development team

Follow our campaign with hashtags:

#fordtrophy #lovethestags 

SEE FULL SEASON SCHEDULE

AUCKLAND ACES SQUAD

Robbie O'Donnell (c)

Adithya Ashok

Mark Chapman

Luois Delport

Danru Ferns

Matt Gibson

Ryan Harrison

Ben Horne (w)

Simon Keene

Ben Lister

Will O'Donnell

Sean Solia

George Worker

Get sorted now for the holiday season!

Article added: Monday 12 December 2022