The statistics do not lie - Otago left-armer Neil Wagner was one of the best players in the country last summer and Derek de Boorder was one of the biggest improvers.
That is how 2011 New Zealand Cricket Almanack editors Francis Payne and Ian Smith see it.
Wagner and Black Caps strike bowler Chris Martin were named players of the year in the annual publication, and de Boorder was named alongside Northern Districts bowler Trent Boult and Wellington batsman Stephen Murdoch as the most promising players to emerge from the season.
Wagner had already had a season to remember when he grabbed international headlines with a record-breaking effort in the last game of the summer. The South African-born bowler became the first player in the history of first-class cricket to take five wickets in one over.
The 25-year-old began the summer in superb touch, taking 24 wickets in his first three games. His haul of 51 first-class wickets for the season was just three short of Stephen Boock's Otago record.
De Boorder's reputation as a quality gloveman is fairly well established but last summer his batting reached "new heights".
The right-hander was Otago's second-leading run scorer in the Plunket Shield and fourth overall with 667 runs at an average of 66.70, including two centuries and three 50s. He was also impressive in the one-day competition with 274 runs at 68.50.
The 25-year-old is unavailable for Otago's warm-up match against Canterbury in Rangiora next week. He will be representing New Zealand at the annual Hong Kong sixes tournament instead.
Brendon McCullum and Nathan McCullum are in Zimbabwe with the Black Caps, Warren McSkimming and Mark Craig are carrying injuries and Nick Beard has exams and will also miss the pre-season fixture.
Otherwise coach Vaughn Johnson has named a strong line-up featuring former internationals Aaron Redmond, Neil Broom, Craig Cumming and Ian Butler and regular first-choice players Wagner, Darren Broom, The game is an opportunity for 21-year-old Jimmy Neesham, down from Auckland, to make an early statement, and Invercargill's Shaun Fitzgibbon will take the gloves in de Boorder's absence. Otago Country's gloveman James Pyle will also get an opportunity to push his claims later in the month when Town play Country in a 50-over game at Brooklands on October 30. That match doubles as a final trial for prospective Otago players.
Otago cricket
The squad
Aaron Redmond (captain), Craig Cumming, Darren Broom, Neil Broom, Hamish Rutherford, Ian Butler, Craig Smith, James McMillan, Jimmy Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Shaun Fitzgibbon, Sam Wells.
Town v Country
October 30 at Brooklands
Town: Hamish Rutherford, Jamie Glenn, Shaun Haig, Sean Eathorne, Sam Wells (captain), Iain Robertson, Shaun Fitzgibbon, Nick Beard, James McMillan, Warren McSkimming, Ollie Newton.
Country: Aaron Redmond (captain), Craig Cumming, Neil Broom, Darren Broom, Jimmy Neesham, James Pyle, Ian Butler, Mark Craig, Sam Blakely, Marcus Frost, Jacob Duffy, Craig Smith.
