Cricket: NZ team stacked with Otago talent

Otago has players aplenty in the New Zealand team for the cricket test against England at the University Oval beginning today.

Four of the 12, with the 12th man to be named this morning, play for the southerners.

Captain Brendon McCullum, is joined by opener Hamish Rutherford (first test), and pace bowlers Neil Wagner (first test in New Zealand) and Ian Butler (first test in eight years).

Research by Otago cricket statistician Dave Richmond last night revealed Otago has had five representatives in the test XI once (1976) and four on eight occasions, spread across clusters of tests in 1955, 1976-77 and 2000.

As well, coach Mike Hesson is from Dunedin and is a former Otago coach.