Firebirds buoyed by opening draw
A RESOLUTE opening Plunket Shield performance has the Wellington Firebirds optimistic of a good season ahead.
They resisted a Black Caps laden Northern Districts last week to earn a draw in their first fourday match of the season.
Pacemen Brent Arnel and Dane Hutchinson batted for 31 overs in a stout final wicket stand in their second innings after the latter had taken five wickets, including a hat-trick, in ND’s first innings.
Firebirds coach Bruce Edgar said the performance had the team in good spirits ahead of their second game against Central Districts, starting in Nelson today.
‘‘The guys have taken away so much from the game in terms of what they need to do, from a bowling and batting perspective and even the fielding – we saved a lot of runs in the outfield.
‘‘It was a difficult start for us. We were 47-5 on an overcast day one wicket with plenty of grass coverage and facing two of the world’s best opening bowlers [Tim Southee and Trent Boult], but the good thing that came of that was we got to 260.’’
The bowlers endured a tough day two, but were able to keep ND’s runrate below three per over before taking 6-83 during the morning session of day three to dismiss ND for 429.
It all adds up to a confident Firebirds side ahead of the Stags game, with only one change to the 12 as Matt Taylor comes in for Black Cap Luke Ronchi, who scored 130 in the first innings against ND.
Luke Woodcock has committed to opening the batting this season, after discussing his role in the four-day game with Edgar.
‘‘He has the skillset to do it and had to desire to want to do it. It’s a specialist position. Number one, you’ve got to have the mindset to do it and two is the skill, and we were comfortable with both of those things [from him].’’
The Stags will be without Black Caps paceman Adam Milne after he was sidelined again by injury.
Also injured for at least the next month are fellow Black Cap Ben Wheeler (back) and Bevan Small (shoulder), while Doug Bracewell has left for the Black Caps’ tour of Australia along with Ross Taylor.
‘‘They’ve got quite a young, inexperienced attack, with [Blair] Tickner and [Josh] Clarkson, and overs out of George Worker and What: Plunket Shield round two, Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags Where: Saxton Oval, Nelson When: Today, 10.30am TAB: Wellington $1.65, Central $2.10 Wellington: Michael Papps (captain), Luke Woodcock, Stephen Murdoch, Craig Cachopa, Michael Pollard, Tom Blundell, Matt Taylor, Jeetan Patel, Matt McEwan, Dane Hutchinson, Brent Arnel, Anurag Verma. Central: Kruger van Wyk (captain), Ben Smith, Greg Hay, Dean Robinson, Tom Bruce, George Worker, Josh Clarkson, Blair Tickner, Seth Rance, Ajaz Patel, Andrew Mathieson, Ben Stoyanoff.