WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS
PLAYERS TO WATCH 1. Jesse Ryder (pictured) The new cult hero of New Zealand Cricket, Ryder has been in sensational form in the HRV Cup. If the former Black Cap, who has blazed 508 Twenty20 runs this summer, fires today, Wellington are likely to win. 2. Luke Ronchi The New Zealand-born former Australian international is now eligible for the country of his birth, and is odds on to play against the English in the Twenty20s next month after a strong domestic summer. 3. Scott Kuggeleijn Son of a Northern Districts legend, the younger Kuggeleijn has started his own career with a bang in Wellington. Watch this space – this young all-rounder is going places. ROAD TO THE FINAL Played 11, won 7, lost 4. Beat Auckland in preliminary final.
The 32-year-old liked what he heard about the cricket culture in Otago, and before long he talked to the province’s power brokers to construct a deal to play a summer in New Zealand.
Ten Doeschate has been one of the stand- out players in this season’s HRV Cup. His 380 runs, third- most in the competition, have come at 54.29, proving a powerful asset in an Otago batting lineup that has seen batsmen step up when required.
Ten Doeschate, who played 33 one- dayers for the Netherlands between 2006 and 2011, believes the ability of Otago’s younger players to step up – and the fact the province hasn’t been overreliant on overseas imports – has allowed them to punch above their weight this summer.
‘‘We haven’t relied on
overseas players,’’ he said. ‘‘The young guys have all pulled finger, which has been really important.
‘‘ We’ve had match- winners come from every department. Some of the young seamers have won us games, some of the spinners have won us games, some of the opening bats have won us games.
‘‘I think we’ve got most of our bases covered – which is important to getting across the line eventually. We’ve got to stick to that formula [today], that we’ve had a lot of trust in. We’ve got to stay relaxed and treat it like a normal game. Play like we have over the last 10 games.
‘‘Whatever happens after the 40 overs will be what happens in the history books.’’
The game at University Oval is a sellout.