It's all about the points.
With two games left in the Hawke Cup Zone 4 season, Otago Country and North Otago are pushing for points to qualify for a challenge.
There is some strong competition in the zone this season.
Country (13 points) is at the top followed by South Canterbury (12), Mid Canterbury (8), Southland (8) and North Otago (5).
Country has headed north to take on Mid Canterbury in Ashburton.
Coach Rhiane Smith said his team knew it needed to secure points and was in a good space heading in to the game.
"We’re going to go out there and be pretty positive to be honest," Smith said.
"Well, we have to be, so do they as well. Everything's all pretty close at the moment as far as the points table goes."
Youngster Thomas O’Connor is set to make his debut for Country.
O’Connor is the son of former lack Caps and Otago Volts swing bowler Shayne O’Connor, who played 57 games for the national side across test and one-day cricket from 1997 to 2001
The former Otago Boys’ High School pupil was due to make his debut for the side last year against South Canterbury until the game was abandoned.
O’Connor has spent the past week in Lincoln playing for Otago under-19 at the national tournament.
Fellow Otago under-19 cricketer Liam Direen also returns to Hawke Cup cricket for North Otago against Southland in Invercargill today. He replaces stalwart Jeremiah Shields in an otherwise steady line-up.
Coach Stu Slack said Direen bowled limited overs for Otago, so loading would not be an issue.
He was pleased with his side’s efforts in its last match against Otago Country and looked to take that in to today’s "must-win".
"Weather sort of called that for us but hopefully we can get some momentum and the guys have got some confidence which is good so hopefully we can start well ... and get on a bit of a roll," Slack said.
Both games get under way at 10.30am today.
Hawke Cup
Today and tomorrow
Otago Country v Mid Canterbury
Otago Country (in Ashburton): Taylor Cumberland, Michael Goldstein, Sukhdev Singh, Cam Jackson, Jeremy Gray, Charanjeet Singh, Josh Shackleton, Tim Cotter, Kelan Smith, Tom Myles, Sam Blakely, Thomas O’Connor.
North Otago v Southland
North Otago (in Invercargill): Jeremy Smith, Tom Dempster, Regan George, Amal Ashok, Liam Direen, Stephan Grobler, Cameron Grubb, Blake James, Nic Johnston, Scott Kitto, Quinn Wardle, Garry Singh (12th man).
