Cricket: Otago Country to open cup campaign

Otago Country will get its 2010-11 Hawke Cup campaign under way against Southland at Molyneux Park today on the back of some top performances by several players for both club and representative sides.

A strong squad has been assembled by coach Andy Sainsbury and manager Malcolm Jones for the Alexandra match, with the majority of last season's squad back again for another crack at the cup.

Only New Zealand district associations can compete for the Hawke Cup, counting out teams from the four main centres.

Otago Country is in zone four along with Southland, South Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and Hawke Cup champion North Otago, and will want to finish first or second to North Otago to challenge for the cup.

If it can take the cup from North Otago and defend it in challenges from the three other zones, it will hold it for the winter.

Otago Country has not held the Hawke Cup, provincial cricket's equivalent of the Ranfurly Shield, since 1996.

Alexandra's fringe Otago player, Brendan Domigan, will again captain the side with help to come from prolific run-scorer James Pyle of Blacks Hill.

Domigan's Alexandra team-mate, Cam Rutherford, and Queenstowners Jarred Andrew and Fraser Wilson should also play a big part in the match.

A few new faces will want to make a statement in their first match including Gimmerburn's Sam Blakely, Blacks Hill's Bradley Frost and Alexandra's Daniel Ford.

Former Otago Volts bowler Craig Smith is sure to have an impact for Southland after struggling with a hamstring injury and being left out of its side last weekend.

Otago Country has had the better of Southland in recent seasons but Southland opened its campaign with an eight-run win over Mid Canterbury at Queen's Park in Invercargill last weekend and did get a first-innings win against the home side last season.

• Otago Country - Hawke Cup squad
Brendan Domigan (Alexandra), Jarred Andrew (Queenstown), Sam Blakely (Gimmerburn), Peter Breen (Alexandra), Bradley Frost (Blacks Hill), Daniel Ford (Alexandra), Mark Knox (Cromwell), Sean Moran (Blacks Hill), Russell Nevill (Blacks Hill), James Pyle (Blacks Hill), Cam Rutherford (Alexandra), Fraser Wilson (Queenstown).

 

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