Worker, Milne return for Stags
Two big guns come back into the fold for Central Districts as they look to get their domestic one-day campaign off the ground.
Black Caps Adam Milne and George Worker, both of Manawatu¯ , join the side for their second-round clash against Northern Districts at Whangarei today.
CD were beaten by Auckland by five wickets in New Plymouth on Sunday.
Prolific top order batsman Worker comes into the squad for his first white-ball match for the team this season, having been released from the Black Caps test squad. Worker was cover in the New Zealand team for the unavailable Tim Southee for the test against the West Indies at the
Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Fast bowler Milne returns after recovering from stiffness in his lower back that led to him being replaced by Wellington’s Hamish Bennett in the New Zealand A squad that played the West Indies in a warm-up match last week.
CD have named a squad of 13 to play ND. The only omission from the Auckland game is 12th man and Manawatu¯ seamer Navin Patel. With 13 players, CD have options at the top of the order and with their bowling stocks.
Dane Cleaver had the uncustomary role of opening the batting with Ben Smith against Auckland, but Worker could replace Smith at the top, or Cleaver could be shifted back down the order.
Milne gives them another seambowling option, along with Ben Wheeler, Bevan Small, who is over his bruised heel, Blair Tickner and Doug Bracewell.
Small, Bracewell and Wheeler also give them some lower-order hitting, along with all-rounder Josh Clarkson.
Stags coach Heinrich Malan said the return of two of the team’s leading stars was timely as the Stags look to bounce back quickly from a shock loss at home in the opening round.
‘‘We came up against a very good side first up but were disappointed not to have continued our strong recent results against them,’’ he said. ‘‘Now it’s time for us to show that we are also one of the best sides in the 50-over format in New Zealand.’’
Milne needs just seven more victims to achieve 100 list A career wickets, while Worker has scored eight one-day centuries and 13 half centuries for CD alone and requires just 60 runs to reach 4000 list A runs in his overall career for all teams.
ND beat Wellington by five wickets in the first round in Whangarei.