Barnett answers SOS for Central
Central Districts have called in reinforcements in search of a remedy for their poor form and injury-hit roster.
The Stags suffered a 93-run loss against the Otago Volts in Dunedin on Sunday, their sixth of the HRV Cup, and to make matters worse, they copped another couple of injuries, just when player numbers were already low.
Experienced players are thin on the ground for CD coach Alan Hunt at the moment, but he was confident the replacements coming in can do the job against Auckland in New Plymouth tomorrow.
‘‘We’ve got names and bodies, so we have got people coming in,’’ he said.
‘‘They’re going to be new, on debut. They’re playing well in the A’s [provincial A tournament],’’ he said.
Off-spinning all-rounder BJ Barnett, from Nelson, and Hawke’s Bay batsman Michael Taiaroa were to join the squad today, having stood out for CD A at Lincoln over the past week.
‘‘This is an opportunity for two guys playing well at the moment, to come in and stamp their mark on it,’’ Hunt said.
‘‘Twenty20’s a tough format to learn, it’s cut-throat. It’s going to be tough for them, they’re going to be nervous and it’s going to be a challenge.’’
Promising batsman Will Young has a dislocated and broken finger and is out for six to eight weeks, while wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk is also out with a broken finger, but should return when the Plunket Shield resumes at the end of the month.
Jamie How and Jacob Oram are absent with family commitments, but should be back against Otago on January 13.
Fast bowler Adam Milne was having scans on his leg yesterday after a shin injury flared up, related to the niggling ankle injury which has plagued him recently.
Milne played as a No 6 batsman in the loss to Otago because of late injuries, and was unable to bowl which Hunt said was a ‘‘debacle’’.
Bowler Ben Wheeler is still battling an abdominal injury, English all-rounder Peter Trego has gone home with a stomach muscle tear and opener Dean Robinson remains on the outer.
There is hope, however, with dumped Black Caps captain Ross Taylor a possibility to play in the Plunket Shield when it restarts on January 24, Hunt said.
‘‘There’s a lot of interest about when he’s going to come out and play,’’ Hunt said. ‘‘I can certainly see him in the fourdayers starting in Napier.’’
He has been in touch with Taylor and was reasonably confident the former New Zealand skipper would be available against Canterbury at the end of the month.
As for their poor performances in the HRV Cup, with only one win over front-runners Northern Districts last month, it hasn’t been good enough.
‘‘It’s hard not to be dispirited,’’ Hunt said. ‘‘We’re not having a lot of luck with injuries and we’re trying not to let it affect our performance but clearly we put in a substandard performance [on Sunday].’’
He said while it was too late to qualify for the playoffs, it was not too late to save face.