The return of BLACKCAP Will Young for his first Plunket Shield appearance of the summer further strengthens a scorching Central batting line-up, but the Stags continue to miss star servants with the ball as they head into a big penultimate game.

Blair Tickner (bicep), Ajaz Patel (knee) and Brett Randell (broken collarbone) remain sidelined ahead of tomorrow’s Plunket Shield seventh round — a vital match with Canterbury, away at Hagley Oval.

Neither side is out of the championship running, and neither are they in control of their own destiny after dropping down to the middle of the table.

Drawn results on flat surfaces cost both teams valuable points opportunities over the last two weeks, while new leader the Wellington Firebirds and Northern Districts are now the title frontrunners, after having banked three outright wins between them in the same period.

Those two sides play each other over the next four days, and Wellington win could potentially see the Firebirds put one hand on the Shield ahead of the final round.

The Stags’ batters have been tearing up the recordbooks since the four-dayers resumed.

In a record team total of 700/5 declared in Auckland, captain Tom Bruce broke the team record for highest individual score (345) in an innings that also featured centuries from leading overall run-scorer Dane Cleaver (115) and Josh Clarkson (166 not out).

Clarkson then produced his third first-class century in his very next innings, reaching 104 in Alexandra last week, while Cleaver was left stranded just short of what could have been his third century of the summer, on 98 not out.

Dane Cleaver | PHOTOSPORT

 

Classy Cleaver is one of just three batsmen nationally to have scored more than 600 runs this summer.

He is averaging a stellar 122.20 from eight innings, and is poised to overtake Bevan Griggs (82 caps) and join Tony Blain (83) as the Stags’ most capped wicketkeeper-batsman in first-class cricket in tomorrow’s match.

 

 

Mr Consistent for the Stags, Cleaver has produced a half century or better six times, while Clarkson has stepped up with both bat and ball as the team’s senior allrounder, after having played understudy to Doug Bracewell in previous seasons.

 

Josh Clarkson | PHOTOSPORT

 

The experience of left-armer Ray Toole and medium-pace Clarkson has also been essential to guiding a now youthful attack, and the tradtionally seam-friendly Christchurch ground may offer some golden opportunites for the pace department to enjoy themselves in the upcoming round, after the hard yakka of bowling on flat surfaces.

Left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox is one who did enjoy those conditions, coming off his maiden first-class five-wicket bag in the last week’s hard fought loss to the Otago Volts.

Spinning compadre Angus Schaw is unavailable for this week’s round, creating an opportunity for tall 24-year-old pace allrounder Joey Field to rejoin the squad after his successful path back from injury.

Will Young | PHOTOSPORT

Young (for Jack Boyle) and Field are the only changes to the squad that features four pace bowlers aged 24 or younger.

The Hagley Oval match is scheduled to begin at 10.30am with livescores and a free live-stream over the four days at www.cdcricket.co.nz

Following the Christchurch fixture, the Stags head to their Palmerston North home of Fitzherbert Park for the final round against the bottom-of-the-table Auckland Aces.

2024/25 | ROUND SEVEN

Canterbury v Central Stags

10.30am Friday 21 - Monday 24 March 2025

Hagley Oval, Christchurch

TOM Bruce - captain, Taranaki

TYLER Annand - Hawke's Bay

WILL Clark - Hawke's Bay

JOSH Clarkson - Nelson

DANE Cleaver - wicketkeeper, Manawatū

JOEY Field - Hawke's Bay

TOBY Findlay - Hawke's Bay

CURTIS Heaphy - Manawatū

JAYDEN Lennox - Hawke's Bay

BRAD Schmulian - Hawke's Bay

RAY Toole - Manawatū

WILL Young - Taranaki

Head Coach: GLENN Pocknall

Assistant Coach: ALDIN Smith

Livescores and a free livestream here at

www.cdcricket.co.nz

CENTRAL STAGS INSTAGRAM

 

 

- contracted players unavailable for selection -

 

Angus Schaw - unavailable

Ajaz Patel (knee), Brett Randell (collarbone), Blair Tickner (bicep) - injury

Article added: Thursday 20 March 2025