Otago under19 blessed with strong spinbowling stocks
COME in, spinner.
Otago has a healthy stock of slow bowlers in its ranks who will be hoping the wickets turn square at the national under19 tournament which gets under way in Lincoln tomorrow.
It can also call on a core group of experienced players who have enjoyed success at this level.
Hunter Kindley, Max Chu, Llew Johnson and Ben Lockrose helped their province claim the title in 201617 and are back for another shot.
Kindley will captain the team and he will have a point to
prove after a terrible run with injury.
He was the tournament’s leading scorer in 201617 with 306 runs at an average of 51. The rightarm offspinner picked up seven wickets as well.
But he fractured his ankle during the final and was not
able to take his place in the New Zealand under18 team. Then earlier this year a shoulder injury ruled him out of the under19 World Cup team.
‘‘He had a very successful tournament a couple of years ago . . . and he will be an important part of our spin bowling lineup as well,’’ coach Adam Miles said.
Lockrose shapes as the leading spinner, though. The leftarmer grabbed 11 wickets at an average of 18.09 two years ago and has gone on to play for Otago in all three formats.
Nathan Hastie is another leftarm spinner who has been successful at agegroup representative level.
There are a couple of wrist spinners in the squad as well in Jack Mockford and Blair Donaldson.
‘‘We’ve certainly got enough spin. We’re only taking away three seamers this year.
‘‘We have really strong spin bowling stocks and that tends to suit this tournament, particularly as the week wears on. But there are not masses and masses of seam bowlers out there in the under19 age group.
‘‘That is something we’re going to focus on in the next couple of years — bolstering our seam bowling stocks.’’
Mason James will spearhead the seam attack. He is a right arm swing bowler who has played Hawke Cup cricket for North Otago.
He will have assistance from Charlie Holt and Michael Ruske, who will look to hit the deck hard and extract some life from the pitch.
Ruske is also part on the under17 programme.
Otago backup keeper Max Chu will open the batting. He has been in good form at club level this season.
He played in a threeday game for a New Zealand XI side against Sri Lanka recently and made a fighting and undefeated 33 at No 10.
Johnson will bat at No 4. He made his provincial debut for Otago last summer in a twenty20 match and is highly rated.
The format this season involves each team playing five onedayers followed by three twenty20 matches.
Otago gets its campaign under way with a onedayer against Northern Districts in Lincoln tomorrow.
‘‘Our aim is to compete and take each game of cricket deep,’’ Miles said.
‘‘I’ll be very happy if we are still in games in the 96th and 97th over. That will give the guys the best chance of developing . . . and ultimately that is what the tournament is about.’’