All but unchanged Stags squad favourite against Kings

Central Districts won the dress rehearsal against Canterbury in Napier on Friday.

But today’s return match at Eden Park Outer Oval is for a spot alongside Wellington in Saturday’s Super Smash final.

The Stags posted a 30-run win against the Kings and have added experienced all-rounder Kieran Noema-Barnett in an otherwise unchanged squad for the elimination final.

They also edged Canterbury by 18 runs in Christchurch last month, so will go into the game as the favourite.

Black Cap Blair Tickner is the league’s top wicket-taker this season with 15 wickets from 10 games at an average of 20.73, while 20-year-old Joey Field has enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign with nine wickets and 11 catches.

Left-handed opening batsman George Worker is the competition’s second-leading scorer with 420 runs, while teammates Doug Bracewell, Ross Taylor and Josh Clarkson have all been operating at strike rates of 160-plus.

Canterbury is without Black Caps Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls, who are unavailable due to injury. But the Kings can lean on internationals Matt Henry and Daryl Mitchell to make an impact, and Chad Bowes and Cole McConchie have made significant contributions with the bat.

Auckland will host Wellington in the women’s elimination final and battle for the right to join Canterbury in the final.

Auckland held on to beat Wellington by seven runs in a round-robin game at Eden Park Outer Oval on Saturday.

It got rid of White Ferns batting supremo Sophie Devine cheaply in that match and will be hoping to repeat the dose today.

She has scored 354 runs at an average of 70.80, so is a key wicket, while Katey Perkins is the leading scorer for Auckland, with 244 at an average of 30.50.

Twenty20

Men’s elimination final
Central Districts v Canterbury
Eden Park Outer Oval, noon
 
Women’s elimination final
Auckland v Wellington
Eden Park Outer Oval, 4.10pm

Add a Comment

OUTSTREAM