"This will be the first major test of the pitch. There's some quality players in there and they'll be good judges of whether it's in good condition," Otago Country Cricket board member Shayne O'Connor said.
A New Zealand Cricket Players Association masters side will take on an Otago Country selection team in the twenty/20 match beginning at 1.30pm. The masters team includes former Black Caps Mark Greatbatch, Ewen Chatfield, Geoff Allot, Kerry Walmsley, Roger Twose and Glen Sulzberger.
Other first-class players in the team are Wade Cornelius, of Canterbury, Otago players Karl O'Dowda, Mark Craig and Andrew Hore, and Bevan Griggs (Central Districts).
Their opposing team includes O'Connor, who is a former Black Cap, White Fern Paula Flannery, and Otago and Otago Country players including Lindsay Breen, Rhiane Smith, Peter Breen and Brendon Domigan.
New Zealand Cricket suspended Molyneux Park's warrant of fitness in November last year and transferred Otago's twenty/20 game against Northern Districts on December 29 from Alexandra to the University Oval, in Dunedin.
It said a delay in finding a permanent turf manager was the problem with the Alexandra ground, prompting an outcry from Alexandra cricket fans. A new Molyneux Park groundsman, Andrew Douglas, was appointed the same week the warrant was suspended.
O'Connor said the match tomorrow was the players' idea.
"They contacted us and asked how we'd feel if they got something together for Alexandra and we jumped at the chance," he said.
"Hopefully, the game will get good support and that will show Otago and New Zealand Cricket that there's a lot of interest in the game here and it's worthwhile keeping top class cricket in this area.
