United field strong lineup
United have a strong settled team and should be one of the contenders this season, with a core of experienced club cricketers and a handful of rep players.
Manawatu¯ batsman Logan Mchardy will captain the team again and also returning are veteran batsman Robbie James, representative batsman Mason Hughes and wicketkeeper batsman Ma’ara Ave, as well as all-rounders Hayden and Nathan Hill, and Manpreet Singh.
They will also have spinner Felix Murray if he’s not required by Central Districts, veteran bowler Cam Harris, seamer Jack Harris and legspinner Braden Rowe.
They have picked up Indian batsman Ahkil Pant. Former Palmerston North Boys’ High School players Ben O’connor and Tom Tremain are likely to play after Christmas, and paceman Matt Ball will play when he can.
All-rounder Jackson Gattsche and batsman Marcus Emery aren’t playing this summer.
Marist should also push for one of the titles this summer with a strong team returning.
Manawatu¯ player-coach Dave Meiring will captain the side and be a key man with the bat, and they will hope to see some of CD seam bowler Navin Patel.
Back again are spinner Nic Carter, all-rounders Connor Morriss and Arana Noema-barnett, batsman Dylan Gaskin and in the seambowling department, Matt Wells, Jack Gleeson and Dylan Lynch.
Wicketkeeper batsman Whetu Na Nagara has come from Freyberg and will play alongside his brother and all-rounder Floyd.
Old Boys will again be strong despite two key losses.
Spinning all-rounder Henry Collier has moved to Tauranga and spinner Dane Watson has returned to Auckland but Marist still have a powerful lineup of experienced rep and club players.
Ray Toole will be their strike weapon in the seam attack and bowler Matt Borren is captain again.
Still available are all-rounders Tim and Jayden Richards and Robbie Yule, and spinning all-rounder Trent Mcgrath. Bowler Steve Bennett will be available after his wedding. Tim Richards is the Manawatu¯ captain this season.
Gloveman Bryce Grant will play and experienced campaigner Robbie Laird will go around again once he recovers from a knee injury.
Palmerston are continuing their rebuilding and will be captained by paceman Carlos Jensen.
Experienced all-rounder Rob Sheary, who shifted to Wellington last year, has made himself available to help the club and should contribute with bat and ball.
Connor Harris and Mitch Crystal will play, and all-rounder Corey Perrett will play once he’s back from university.
Gurpeet Singh, Sunny Bains and Gaurav Aheer are all back.
Mike Meyer and Russel Swindells will play and some of the old Palmerston hands will fill in if needed.
Freyberg also have a solid core returning from last year.
They have quality in the lineup in seamers Brad Fulton, top-order bat Charles Parker and all-rounder Thomas Kuggeleijn. Also back are seamers Andy Grubb and Ali Akhter, and all-rounder Harry Wenham.
They also have Cam Harridge and Thomas Walshe, who joined after leaving Palmerston North Boys’ High School last summer.
Scott Mitchell and Caleb Hansen are likely to share the wicketkeeping duties.
Veteran batsman Luke Murray, who is coaching the Manawatu¯ emerging players team this year, is unsure if he will play.
Batsman Cam Mcnaught isn’t playing and Luke Mcconaghty is in the United States but should be back after Christmas.
They are yet to decide on a captain and are unlikely to see CD men Dane Cleaver and Bevan Small.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School will be well prepared for the season after a tour of South Africa and Western Australia.
The schoolboys will miss the start of the club competition. So far they have beaten a Western Australia under-15 team by 51 runs and the Rockingham Mandurah under18s by 15 runs, but lost to Hale School by eight wickets.
They are led by all-rounder Bryn Wilson, a medium pacer and handy batsman. They have experience in the batting stocks in Max Harris, Craig Lawrence and Sam Russell, as well as seamer Mitch Leach.
Spinning all-rounder and Manawatu¯ player Scott Davidson is the player-coach.
Tomorrow’s draw: Freyberg v United, Palmerston v Old Boys. Marist v PNBHS postponed.