Schmulian set for CD debut
Hawke’s Bay batsman Brad Schmulian will make his debut for Central Districts in the opening game of the cricket season.
Central Districts (CD) are down on eight regulars for the Plunket Shield season opener against Northern Districts at Mt Maunganui on Monday, but have enough depth that Schmulian will be the only newcomer in the team. He will likely bat at No 5.
Schmulian moved to CD last season from Auckland, having played for Auckland A and agegroup reps.
He played club cricket for Havelock North, was successful for the Hawke’s Bay rep team and was in the CD A team last summer.
Schmulian scored a century for Hawke’s Bay in the Chapple Cup semifinal last weekend and scored a ton in one of CD’S warmup matches, which was enough to convince the selectors to give him a go in the Plunket Shield.
Missing for next week are four players with the New Zealand team in India in batsmen George Worker, Tom Bruce and Ross Taylor, ands fast bowler Adam Milne. There are four injured players. Batsman Jesse Ryder has a knee problem, seamer Ben Wheeler is struggling with a crook hamstring, Ryan Mccone reinjured his back in training and
Josh Clarkson has a broken wrist.
Clarkson was standing at the non-striker’s end during one of their warmup games two weeks ago and Dane Cleaver smacked the ball back and it hit Clarkson in the wrist. But CD will still field an solid lineup.
Experienced pair Ben Smith and Greg Hay will open the batting and Mitch Renwick, who has played 10 first-class games, will come in at first drop.
Will Young is back from his tour with the New Zealand A side to captain the team and bat at No 4.
Wicketkeeper batsman Cleaver is next then New Zealand seamer Doug Bracewell will bat at No 7.
Paceman Bevan Small is back from the shoulder injury which ruled him out of all of last season and has been looking good bowling in pre-season.
Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, the top wicket taker for the past two Plunket Shield campaigns, is the side’s spinner, while Schmulian also gives them a part-time legspin option in the absence of parttime offie Worker.
Veteran Seth Rance, who played two games for New Zealand in the UK in the winter and was on the NZ A tour, as well as Navin Patel and Blair Tickner make up the seam attack, with Patel likely to be 12th man.
CD coach Heinrich Malan arrived back in the country on Tuesday after touring India with the New Zealand A team.
‘‘It’s disappointing for a number of our players to be out with injury this early in the season, having worked very hard over the off season,’’ Malan said.
‘‘But in saying that, we’re very pleased to have Doug Bracewell back after his knee surgery and Bevan Small back from his shoulder reconstruction, the pair having missed out on almost all of last summer with their injuries.
‘‘They showed at the Chapple Cup that they are both firing on all cylinders and they will be looking to take a lead role this season as two of our premier allrounders.’’