North Otago will go into this weekend's Hawke Cup elimination match against Otago Country in Oamaru bolstered by the return of its pace spearhead.
Experienced left-arm strike bowler David Sewell is back after working in Christchurch for the first part of the season.
Sewell will be playing his 47th game for North Otago. He began his provincial career in the 1994-95 season, going on to play for Otago, New Zealand under-19 and the Black Caps.
Sewell will rejoin another local veteran, Duncan Drew, who will be playing his 59th game for North Otago. Sewell will form an opening attack with another left-armer, Chris Ware, who this season has been studying in Dunedin and playing for Carisbrook-Dunedin and Otago B.
Sewell will be joined by his brother, batsman Anthony Sewell, who also plays for Carisbrook-Dunedin. The younger Sewell takes the place of Tim McCormick.
A newcomer is Hayden Tisdall, whose batting in club cricket has earned him a start in the middle order.
Jeremiah Shields and all-rounder Ben Cant will open the innings. There is depth and variety in the top order with Jordan Horrell (left-arm offspinner), South African Stephan Grobler (right-arm legspinner), Drew (left-arm orthodox) and Englishman Ed Smith (seamer) all able to bowl.
Otago Country has retained an almost unchanged side from the one that took first-innings points against Southland before the holiday break.
The only change is the unavailability of bowler Bradley Frost.
Captain Eric Standfield has been in a rich vein of form in club cricket. His century last weekend followed two other solid batting performances where he passed 50. He will also lead the bowling attack and take the new ball.
Openers Scott Paulin and Jono Homer scored 87 and 41 against Southland to pave the way for a good first innings.
Hawke Cup
The teams
North Otago: Ben Cant, Jeremiah Shields, Jordan Horrell, Stephan Grobler, Duncan Drew, Ed Smith, Hayden Tisdall, Anthony Sewell, Darcy Hooper-Smith, David Sewell, Chris Ware.
Otago Country: Jonathan Homer, Scott Paulin, Braden Hill, Jared Andrew, Cameron Rutherdord, Fraser Wilson, Liam Crowley, Blair Bennington, Eric Standfield (captain), Sam Blakely, Sean Windle, Mark Phillips.
- Rhys Chamberlain and Terry O'Neill.
