Experienced Otago batsman Neil Broom was left out of the Black Caps playing XI for the deciding ODI against South Africa on at Eden Park on Saturday.
Wellington gloveman Luke Ronchi batted at No 5 instead and was part of a disappointing batting display in which the Black Caps crashed to be all out 149. Needless to say, South Africa wrapped up the series.
But the one positive about Broom’s absence is he is free to play for Otago on the opening day of its day-night Plunket Shield match against Wellington at Westpac Stadium today.
Had he played on Saturday night, he would have had to stand down for a day and enter the game tomorrow.
His availability means Sean Eathorne drops out of the squad. Eathorne played a gutsy knock for Otago in the win against Northern Districts last week.
He was hit near the eye by a ball during the warm-up and the injury required stitches. But he batted later in the day, scoring 28 in a valuable 85-run partnership with Anaru Kitchen.
It is disappointing for Eathorne but Broom’s presence will lift a resurgent Otago team which has won four of its past five games.
Broom is a class batsman and will have a point to prove after sitting out the final two ODIs against South Africa.
"I don’t want to speak for Broomy but obviously it has been a tough few days with him not being picked in the last two one-dayers against South Africa," Otago assistant coach Anton Roux said.
"But I’m sure he is eager to get back in our fold and ready to put in a good performance and put his name back in the [selection mix] again."
Otago trained during twilight with the pink ball on Saturday and was scheduled to train under lights last night.
"It was our second training with the link ball and our first during twilight. There were guys talking about the ball and there were some theories being thrown around.
"But at the end of the day a cricket ball is still a cricket ball and it is still about executing your skills as best as you can. We have another training under lights in the stadium and that will be a good experience for us as well."
The middle session potentially shaped as the hardest period for batsmen, Roux said.
"There were theories going around that you should try to bat first and be a little bit more positive, almost playing a one-day first innings and then have a bowl at the opposition in the twilight.
"Historically, a lot of wickets have fallen during that period. But with the new pink ball they have brought out, it is not swinging as much. So I think if you bat first and look to get through that twilight period and the evening then I think you can really set yourself up to dominate."
Wellington’s team was unavailable yesterday but Ronchi is likely to be available from day two. The home side can draw on an experienced top order of Michael Papps, Luke Woodcock, Stephen Murdoch and Hamish Marshall, while former internationals Hamish Bennett and Brent Arnel are likely to spearhead an attack which includes seamers Iain McPeake and Anurag Verma.
Plunket Shield
W’pac Stadium, today from 2.30pm
Otago: Brad Wilson (captain), Michael Rippon, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Anaru Kitchen, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Christi Viljoen, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Michael Rae, Rhys Phillips.
Wellington (possible): Michael Papps, Luke Woodcock, Stephen Murdoch, Scott Borthwick, Hamish Marshall, Tom Blundell, Anurag Verma, Iain McPeake, Hamish Bennett, Brent Arnel, Peter Younghusband, Matt McEwan, Luke Ronchi.
