Nelson has named a strong squad, including three Central Stags representatives, to challenge for the Hawke Cup this weekend.

The 2018/19 Zone 3 challenger is travelling south to Queen’s Park, Invercargill, to attempt to wrestle the historic trophy — sometimes referred to as the Ranfurly Shield of cricket — away from Southland’s grasp over the course of a three-day match this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Central Stags Plunket Shield captain Greg Hay will lead the Nelson Griffins with the veteran batsman determined to get his hands on the provincial prize for the first time in his long career.

It will be just the third time in 34-year-old’s Hay’s career that he has had an opportunity to play in a Hawke Cup challenge — one of three first-class cricketers in the Nelson side, alongside Stags youngsters spinner Felix Murray and allrounder Willem Ludick.

Neither of Hay’s previous opportunities — challenges against Canterbury Country in Rangiora in 2005, and against Hamilton in 2012 — were successful forays. Nelson had had to settle for a draw in Rangiora, with a first innings win or outright required for the Cup to change hands. But they came close to lifting the cup in Hamilton seven years ago, having taken a 52-run lead on the first innings before becoming unstuck in their second dig, bowled out for just 93 to hand holders Hamilton the outright victory they had needed to keep the Hawke Cup in their cabinet.

Southland, the original holder of the historic cup in 1910, and Nelson, another association with a long Hawke Cup history that can lay claim to a slew of the most impressive records in the competition’s annals, are two remarkably storied teams when it comes to the Hawke Cup — setting up a classic battle for supremacy as the modern-day cricketers set out to write another chapter.

Spirited Southland fended off mid-Canterbury, a fellow Zone 4 side, in the first defence of the 2018/19 season two weeks ago, but are likely to face a bigger ask against the Zone 3 winners who brushed aside Marlborough with such ease to earn the challenge.

Of the Nelson squad selected for this weekend’s challenge, six players — Ludick, Murray, Thomas Zohrab, Paddy Howes, Nic Clark and Sam Baxendine — also played in Nelson’s most recent Hawke Cup challenge, against then-holders Bay of Plenty at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval in February 2017. On that occasion, Bay of Plenty won the toss and racked up a first-innings total of 469/9 declared on a flat wicket, Nelson replying with 275 before the match was called a draw.

Nelson’s challenge will be live-scored on www.nzc.nz from 10.30am on Friday, with Invercargill’s weather forecast to improve after a blustery initial day that may see some showers in the mix.

HAWKE CUP DIRECT CHALLENGE

NELSON (Zone 3 Challenger) v Southland

15-17 February 2019

Queen’s Park, Invercargill

Greg Hay — captain

Sam Baxendine

Nic Clark

Paddy Howes

Willem Ludick

Felix Murray

Jarrod McKay

Josh Newport

Devon Serrurier

Ben Stark

David Zohrab

Thomas Zohrab

Article added: Wednesday 13 February 2019