North Otago will be out to collect further Hawke Cup qualifying points when it plays Southland at Milner Park over the weekend.
The team had two wins in warm-up games before claiming maximum points against Otago Country last weekend but the task will be a difficult one, as Southland will be fielding a strong XI.
Three new players have been included in the Southland 12. Right-arm medium pace bowler Josh Fitzgibbon gets his opportunity, while Southland's development coach, Will Kindley, is a former Otago under-19 captain, a handy top-order batsman and an offspin bowler.
Southland's import player Harsh Visavadiya will bat at three, having played first-class cricket in India, and is also a legspin bowler.
Two contracted Otago Volts members, Craig Smith and Ryan Duffy, will be in the team, with Smith coming back after a calf injury.
Three of the other players have shown excellent form with the bat. Duffy, Visavadiya and Jason Domigan have all scored centuries this season.
Duffy also made 90 in a preseason match against Otago Country in Queenstown and Jason Osborne claimed six wickets against Otago Country.
Mike Gratton and Liam McWilliams are unavailable because of injury.
North Otago has named a squad of 13 for the game with Ricky Whyte and Dallas Mahuika coming into the squad. Duncan Drew, Ben Cant, South Africans Stephan Grobler and Francois Mostert and captain Jordan Horrell provide the experience.
They are backed up by promising youngsters Lachie Kingan, the Smith brothers, Jeremy and Nathan, Brady Kingan and Llewellyn Johnston.
-by Terry O'Neill
