Otago has named an unchanged side for its Super Smash match against Auckland at the University of Otago Oval this afternoon.
That is not a surprise at all. But the Volts’ tremendous start to the tournament is definitely in category of unexpected.
The team has struggled in the format in recent seasons.
It is still very early in the campaign but Otago has registered consecutive wins and leads the tournament.
Experienced batsman Neil Broom is closing in on his 100th twenty20 game for the province and has scored 125 runs at a strike rate of 173.61.
Dean Foxcroft, Nick Kelly, Josh Finnie and Hamish Rutherford have played some good knocks as well, while with the ball Nathan Smith has seven at an average of 8.28.
The Volts have plenty of options with the ball, particularly in the slow bowling ranks.
Auckland, though, boasts eight internationals or former internationals in its line-up and will present a major challenge.
It has one change to the side which lost to Otago at Eden Park Outer Oval on Saturday.
Pace bowler Kyle Jamieson has been called into the Black Caps test squad and has been replaced by Takapuna left-armer Ross ter Braak.
The 22-year old is no stranger to the Auckland set-up. He has trained with the side for much of the summer and impressed on the Auckland A T20 tour to Sydney.
Ter Braak represented New Zealand at the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
The weather forecast is not particularly promising.
Rain is expected from early afternoon with northwesterlies turning northeasterly.
