The North Otago Hawke Cup coach watched as the team came back from being nine wickets down to beat its friendly rival in last month’s pre-season match. It also dug itself out of trouble last season too, when North Otago was all out for 79 in the first innings, only to come from behind to win the match by 11 runs.
That fight-back attitude will be important today when North Otago takes on South Canterbury in Timaru in its opening Hawke Cup match.
"I think you do take a little bit out of [the games], just the confidence that we can win and come back from where we did," Slack said.
"But it is a new season, a new game — it doesn’t mean anything unless we turn up [today] and perform."
North Otago has named an experienced side, with the steady hand of opening batter Jeremiah Shields, powerful all-rounders Stephan Grobler and Nicholas Johnston, bowler Blake James, who plays his 25th match, and new captain Jeremy Smith, who will earn his 50thcap.
St Kevin’s College captain Liam Direen will make his Hawke Cup debut but is no stranger to top-level cricket. Direen, who led the school side to back-to-back Borton Cup finals, has been part of the Otago under-19 setup for the past few years and was one of the top wicket-takers last season.
"Liam’s on top of the world.
"I know he’s ready and just excited," Slack said.
"There’s no pressure on him. He just needs to come in and play his role, just relax and go for it."
Wet weather hampered training slightly in the past few weeks but Slack said his team was ‘raring to go".
North Otago will be hoping to get through a full season, after games were washed out and Covid-19 forced an abrupt end to last season.
Hawke Cup
Aorangi Oval, 10.30am
North Otago: Jeremy Smith (c), Tom Dempster, Regan George, Amal Ashok, Liam Direen, Stephan Grobler, Cameron Grubb, Blake James, Nicholas Johnston, Jeremiah Shields, Quinn Wardle, Lachlan Brookes.
South Canterbury: Glen Drake (c), Jake Naylor, Adam Beck, Daniel Campbell, Sam Carlaw, Toby Clemett, Taine Cordell-Hull, Phil Lill, Shaun Rooney, William Sharp, Cam Slee, Ben Watson.
