Two Hawke Cup challenges had to be postponed due to the Omicron outbreak last season.
Zone 3 challenger Canterbury Country missed out on its shot last summer, but wrestled the cup off holder Hawke’s Bay in Napier earlier this month and will defend it against Zone 4 challenger Southland in a three-day fixture beginning in Rangiora today.
The Hawke Cup was first played for 112 years ago and it is the major prize on offer for the minor associations. For many cricketers, it will be the highest level they play at. But plenty of experienced players pop up as well, and Southland has named a decent side that includes Otago left-arm spinner Ben Lockrose.
He is fresh from a seven-wicket haul for Taieri in the Dunedin premier grade at the weekend.
Veteran all-rounder Brendan Domigan will captain the side. He led Otago Country to Hawke Cup glory in 2011 but plays for Southland these days.
The Southland side also features a couple of newbies.
Southland Boys’ High School captain Nick Brown will fill in for regular gloveman Benji Culhane, who is with the New Zealand under-21 hockey team.
The 16-year-old will be joined by Invercargill-Old Boys player Blake Buttar-Scurr, who is also on debut.
The side is coached by Shaun Fitzgibbon, who was part of the 2018 team that won the Hawke Cup.
Canterbury Country will be without experienced seamer Will Williams.
The former Canterbury seamer was instrumental in the win over Hawke’s Bay. He grabbed two for 30 and two for 22, to help seal a win by an innings and 29 runs.
All-rounder Archie Redfern is also missing. He has been replaced in the line-up by Akhil Tant, and Will Smith takes the spot vacated by Williams, while Callum Cameron will carry the drinks.
The 2022-23 Hawke Cup challenge programme will proceed as normal from January 2023, the order of challenges to be confirmed following the completion of the rescheduled 2021-22 matches.
Hawke Cup Challenge
Rangiora, starts today
Southland: Blake Buttar-Scurr, Nick Brown, Brendan Domigan (captain), Kieran Lloyd, Ben Lockrose, Liam McFaul, Jared McKenzie, Jack Mockford, Jason Osborne, Keegan Russell, Hamish Skelt, Kurt Thompson.
Canterbury Country (possible): Rhys Mariu, Blake Coburn, Alister Collins, Sam Chamberlain, Harry Chamberlain, Jesse Frew, Zak Foulkes, Tim Gruijters, Matt Laffey, Will Smith, Akhil Tant, Callum Cameron.
