Stags seek to continue form

Ford Trophy leaders Central Districts finished the T20 with a flourish and will hope that flows over to 50-over cricket when the competition resumes today.

The Stags won four matches in a row to make the Super Smash final, but came unstuck, being thumped by nine wickets by Northern.

The series resumes after a seven week hiatus with five rounds to play before the top four finals. The Stags face Auckland away in the fourth round today at Colin Maiden Park.

Central have plenty of class in the bowling ranks with Black Caps quick Adam Milne having recovered from a foot injury and New Zealand T20 international Seth Rance also available.

Ross Taylor was set to make an appearance for the Stags, but was summoned back to the Black Caps T20 side for the third match against Pakistan on Sunday with Colin Munro suffering a minor hamstring strain.

Auckland, who won two of their three Ford Trophy matches before Christmas, will have to survive without punishing opener Munro. The Ford Trophy’s leading runscorer is set to miss the rest of the Aces campaign with his New Zealand limited overs commitments.

However rock bottom of the 50-over competition, winless Canterbury could be the team noone wants to face over the back end of the campaign.

The defending champions Canterbury barely fired a shot before Christmas with suspended English star Ben Stokes in their line-up, losing all three matches.

They will have a vastly different look to their side with Black Caps Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Todd Astle and Matt Henry, all unwanted for New Zealand’s T20 side, providing them with significant firepower.