North Otago will play in its fifth Hawke Cup challenge when it meets the holder Canterbury Country in Rangiora in a three-day game starting today.
Canterbury Country won the Hawke Cup two weeks ago, from nine-time holder Manawatu, with a first-innings win at Palmerston North in the three-day challenge.
Canterbury Country is one of only four teams in its zone.
In the elimination series it beat Nelson on the first innings and had outright wins over Marlborough and Buller.
The absence of a West Coast team resulted in the two top teams in the zone playing off in a three-day game.
Canterbury Country defeated Nelson on the first innings.
Canterbury Country batted first in the Hawke Cup challenge against Manawatu and made 317 and then dismissed the holder for 178.
Canterbury Country, in its second innings, was 182 for six at the close of play.
In zone four, North Otago earned the right to challenge with an outright win over Otago Country, first innings victories over Mid Canterbury and Southland and a loss to South Canterbury.
The outstanding individual for North Otago was South African all-rounder Francois Mostert who, although playing in only three of the games, took 18 wickets and, along with Ben Cant, scored a century against Mid Canterbury.
Veteran opening batsman Glynn Cameron will open the North Otago innings with Lachie Kingan and Jeremiah Shields at three and this trio will have the responsibility of setting a platform for the middle order, led by Duncan Drew, Ben Cant, Sean Conlan and Mostert.
In the Hawke Cup, a first-innings lead is often enough to retain the trophy or claim the cup.
North Otago has a multi-pronged bowling attack, led by Otago under-19 representative Jeremy Smith and brother Nathan Smith, an Otago under-17 representative who this week took nine for 31 against Timaru Boys' High School, Mostert, Cant, Ricky Whyte and leftarm offspinner Horrell.
The Canterbury Country side, led by player coach Shanan Stewart, a former Canterbury player, has in the squad Jeremy Benton (New Zealand under-19), Jack Boyle, Harry Chamberlain, and Henry Shipley (Canterbury under-19) and Will Williams, an opening bowler who has represented Canterbury.
The three-day game begins at 10.30am in Rangiora.
- Terry O'Neill
Hawke Cup
North Otago v Canterbury Country
North Otago: Glynn Cameron, Lachlan Kingan, Jeremiah Shields, Duncan Drew, Ben Cant, Jeremy Smith, Francois Mostert, Sean Conlan, Nathan Smith, Jordan Horrell (captain), Ricky Whyte, Brady Kingan, Stephan Grobler.
Canterbury Country: Liam Bartholomeusz, James Tapper, Jack Boyle, Shanan Stewart (captain), Harry Chamberlain, Sam Chamberlain, Andrew Robertson, Will Williams, Henry Shipley, Jeremy Benton, Mitch Ross and Toby Doyle.
