Side heads into Hawke Cup challenge without star Smith

NORTH Otago will have to do without one of its best when it takes on Hawke’s Bay in its first defence of the Hawke Cup today.

Allrounder Nathan Smith will not be turning out for North Otago this weekend. Instead he has linked with the Otago Volts and will turn out for the side in its two Ford Trophy games against Wellington in the capital.

Nick Johnston has come in for Smith in the only change to the side, which took the cup off Nelson a couple of weeks ago. Smith will be missed.

His standard of play affected the other players and helped them rise to the occasion and challenge a Hawke Cup game brings.

But Smith is committed to Otago and goes with the association’s blessing.

The home side is attempting a first — successfully defending the Hawke Cup.

It has won the cup three times and lost it to the first challenger every time.

The last time it won the Hawke Cup was in 2016, winning over Buller and then losing straight away to Hawkes Bay.

The two sides have some history over the years.

North Otago had its first Hawke Cup challenge in the late 1960s, against Hawke’s Bay. The visitor did not make much of an impact as the holder ended up winning by more than an innings.

This weekend’s game will be a test for the wicket at Centennial Park. The motor in the roller at the ground blew up in October and was only fixed this week.

The association and groundsman Ricky Whyte have been working hard and using what they can while the roller has been out of action and a good track is expected.

Hawke’s Bay, with its mild climate, has traditionally been one of the major sides in the Hawke Cup, but this year’s team does not have a large dose of firstclass cricketers.

Wicketkeeper Bayley Wiggins has played for Central Districts this season at one day level while a couple of the other players in the Hawke’s Bay team have performed well at age group level.

Hawke’s Bay managed to make it through to the qualifying section after beating Taranaki earlier this month.

There is a vast gap between the populations of the two provinces; North Otago is about 22,000 while Hawke’s Bay has a population of about 170,000 — plenty more to pick from.

Part of the criteria for a player to qualify to play for a Hawke Cup team is that they are educated three years or more in the district. That enables the likes of Jeremy Smith and Scott Kitto to play for the North Otago team.

Should North Otago manage to hang on to the cup at the weekend, it then has to defend he cup in two weeks’ time against Hamilton.

There is a chance of drizzle in Oamaru today.