Otago seamer Jarrod McKay is poised to make his first-class debut for the Volts tomorrow.
The 20-year-old right-armer has been named in an unchanged squad for the Volts’ Plunket Shield match against Central Districts in Dunedin tomorrow.
McKay carried the drinks in Invercargill for the drawn match against Auckland.
Volts coach Rob Walter confirmed McKay would make his debut.
The lanky medium-pacer played two one-dayers for the Volts in December.
He also had a first-class game on his curriculum vitae but that was for Central Districts in October, 2019.
McKay gets his opportunity at a time when Otago is a little light on options.
All-rounder Nathan Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a fractured bone in his hand, while leading seamer Jacob Duffy has a quad strain and may have also played his last game for the season.
"He is still a week or so away, so he is touch and go for the last game [beginning April 3]," Walter said.
"But we won’t be pushing unnecessarily, either."
Opener Camden Hawkins has returned from a split webbing in his hand but yesterday was "his first real test".
Walter said he resisted making any changes to the 12 because most of the top young players were getting opportunities.
That means leading Otago A batsman Max O’Dowd, who has scored 568 runs at an average of 63.11 this season, including three centuries and two 50s, will have to wait.
Most of those runs have been in white-ball cricket.
Likewise, left-arm spinner Ben Lockrose’s way into the team looks blocked as well.
Regular spinners Michael Rippon and Anaru Kitchen offer a lot more with the bat, so providing an opportunity for Lockrose would mean changing the balance of the team too much.
"Most of our top young guys are playing so we just want them to keep playing," Walter said.
"But we are looking at giving Jarrod McKay a go in this one . . . so we are giving these young bowlers opportunities to play."
Plunket Shield
Otago v Central Districts
Otago: Hamish Rutherford, Anaru Kitchen, Mitch Renwick, Nick Kelly, Dale Phillips, Michael Rippon, Max Chu, Travis Muller, Matt Bacon, Michael Rae, Jarrod McKay, Angus McKenzie.
