It hasn’t been business as usual in the build-up to the resumption of the Plunket Shield, and nor should it be as Hawke’s Bay continues to mop up from the devastating impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Lives, houses and livelihoods have been lost in the region where the majority of the Central Stags are based, and the players have been out in the hardest hit communities shovelling silt, in between skills training and gym sessions, with the decisive last four rounds of their national first-class championship due to start this Saturday in Napier.

UNPRECEDENTED WEEK

Swapping bowling boots for gumboots, the majority of players spent most of last week without power and a few days with limited communicatons, but Central Stag TOM BRUCE said that was quickly put in perspective once players and staff were able to get back online and learn what had happened.

“I think most of the community in Hawke’s Bay were in the same boat as us in that we didn’t realise the scale of the flooding and the tragic loss of life until a couple of days later, when connectivity started to come back and we were able to go online.

 

The Central Hinds and Canterbury Magicians paid their respects from Christchurch

 

“Obviously many people in our community have been through a traumatic experience, and there was no hesitation from the boys to head to the volunteering hubs, get out there with a shovel and do whatever we could to help the people who had been hit.”

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Locally based BLACKCAPS BLAIR TICKNER and WILL YOUNG headed to Hawke’s Bay on Monday, after a week in which Tickner had made his Test debut away in Mount Maunganui, and joined the silt-clearing effort in Meanee before a team farewell that evening for departing Head Coach, ROB WALTER.

The team has headed back out to lend a hand as volunteers every day since.

Cyclone Gabrielle coincided with Walter’s last week in Hawke’s Bay before he flies out to take up his new position as South Africa’s white-ball coach. Before the advent of the destructive cyclone, the team had been planning to give Walter the perfect send-off in Queenstown, after The Ford Trophy Grand Final.

That was supposed to have been this past Sunday, but the Final has been postponed due to the situation in Hawke’s Bay.

With details of a rescheduled match to be announced, Walter will be following the team’s fortunes from afar as the Stags regroup for their remaining four red-ball, and one outstanding white-ball, fixtures of the 2022/23 season.

The team is set to host defending Plunket Shield champions the Auckland Aces at McLean Park from Saturday until Tuesday in round five of the eight-round first-class season.

The Stags are sitting in second spot, just a handful of points behind Canterbury on the table.

Canterbury and the Stags have been outstanding in all formats this summer. They are due to go head to head in Rangiora in round seven (13-16 March), and the same teams will be contesting the rescheduled Ford Trophy Grand Final.

In between, the Stags will head to Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval for round six and, after the big match in Rangiora, will head into the potentially decisive Plunket Shield round hosting the Otago Volts at home in Palmerston North (March 21-24).

ALDIN SMITH APPOINTED HEAD COACH

Following Walter’s departure, ALDIN SMITH will step up from his Assistant Coach role to lead the squad as Central Stags Head Coach for the remainder of the season.

Aldin Smith (left) provides continuity this season following the departure of Walter (right)

Smith brings plenty of hands-on experience to the role, having previously held the Head Coach reins for the team in all formats following Heinrich Malan’s departure to coach the Auckland Aces in 2019.

Smith will be assisted by former Wellington Firebirds Head Coach GLENN POCKNALL who will act as the Stags’ Assistant Coach for the rest of the season.

Pocknall is in his first season with Central Districts Cricket as a Performance and Pathways Coach, a role that supports male and female high performance and emerging players at all levels acoss the CD cricketing landscape.

Central Districts CEO LANCE HAMILTON said the team and organisation was fortunate to be able to call on two experienced individuals from within, at a time when continuity and strong relationships with the players as both cricketers and people was important.

“With the season in full swing, and the unavoidable disruption of the last week in which we have all been under a State of Emergency as a region and country, Aldin is able to step up and provide that continuity, having been immersed in our campaigns all season.

“Aldin also has strong relationships with the players on an individual level, which is equally important at a time like this.

“It’s a big month of cricket coming up for the Stags, as well as an unprecedented situation for all  in Hawke’s Bay, and the after-effects will clearly be with our community for some time.

“Aldin and Glenn will play an important role for us in giving our players a shot at two titles they have worked very hard for this summer while we collectively navigate our way forward.”

“Sport breeds strength of character, resilience and optimism, and at times like these you trust that those qualities come to the fore.

“There’s no question that all of our management and players will be heading back out there to do this for the Bay.”

On behalf of all at Central Districts Cricket, Hamilton wished Walter all the best in his first assignment as an international head coach.

Walter takes over the Proteas in a home series in South Africa against the West Indies that starts next Tuesday, 28 February.

The Central Stags Head Coach role will be formally advertised in March.

• • •

The Central Stags and Central Hinds squads together with the entire Central Districts Cricket Association staff and community encourages whatever support you may be in a position to offer to the relief effort in Hawke's Bay, by joining volunteer hubs on the ground or supporting one of the official national or regional fundraising drives to support those in urgent need.

We send our aroha to all those affected, and our deepest condolences to those who have suffered the devastating loss of loved ones.

We will be playing for you.

DONATE TO THE New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Fund HERE

Article added: Tuesday 21 February 2023