Cricket: Hawke's Bay batsman earns Stags berth

Havelock North's Brad Schmulian is poised to make his Central Districts Stags debut. Photo/Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay batsman Brad Schmulian is in line to make his first-class cricket debut on Monday after being named in the Central Districts Stags' first squad of the season.

Right-hander Schmulian, 27, is the only newcomer in the 12 announced yesterday for the first two rounds of the 2017/18 season's Plunket Shield which will see the Stags open their season in a four-day away match at Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval against Northern Districts. This will be followed by their first home match at Nelson's Saxton Oval against the Auckland Aces one week later.

Should Havelock North's Schmulian be in the playing XI on Monday, it won't be the first time he has played at Bay Oval. He scored an unbeaten 47 there for Hawke's Bay in last season's Hawke Cup challenge against Bay of Plenty, also picking up two wickets with his leg-spinners.

Schmulian was coming off an unbeaten, run-a-ball 118 in the zone qualifiers against Wairarapa on that occasion, and last weekend he was at it again in this season's Chapple Cup semifinals at Napier's Nelson Park, clinching the match for eventual back-to-back champion Hawke's Bay with a vital century in a tight arm-wrestle with Nelson.

Because of their Stags commitments Schmulian, the Taradale pair of former Black Caps seamer Doug Bracewell and left-armer Ajaz Patel, and CHB bowler Blair Tickner won't be available for Hawke's Bay for this weekend's trip to Tauranga where they will take on Bay of Plenty in two T20 games today and a 50-over one-dayer tomorrow.

Also missing from the Hawke's Bay team will be NTOB seamer Stevie Smidt with an injury. Hawke's Bay coach Colin Schaw has replaced these players with NTOB medium-pace swing bowler Liam Rukuwai, CHB leg-spinner Jesse Pretorius, CHB wicketkeeper and batsman Scott Schaw who will share the keeping with NTOB's Matt Edmondson, NTOB's left-arm seamer Robbie Brigham and CHB's middle order batsman Dom Thompson.

The Bay of Plenty selectors have taken the opportunity to introduce a number of young players, still attending secondary school, to senior men's representative cricket.
Cameron Riley, Sean Dykes, Ben Pomare, Craig Baldry and Tim Pringle are all still secondary school students and while they have all played premier and age-group cricket, the weekend games will be another learning step in their fledgling cricket careers.

BOPCA cricket manager Tai Bridgman-Raison said: "Cameron, Sean, Ben, Tim and Craig have been on the radar for a number of years as successful age-group cricketers. It is great to see them now making the transition into district men's cricket".

"The selection group have done an excellent job balancing youth and experience. Hawke's Bay are a quality side so it will be a challenging weekend of cricket which is ideal as early season preparation. It is also a good opportunity to try out various batting and bowling combinations over two separate formats of the game."

Experience in spades against Hawke's Bay is provided by several players who will wear the "baggy" 50-game cap over the two days at Fergusson Park. Peter Drysdale, who has played 80 games in the blue and gold uniform, overtook Grant Manners (79) to move into third place on the list of all-time Bay of Plenty appearances last season.

Jono Boult has become a fixture in the Bay side, when not on ND duty, after making his Bay of Plenty debut in the 2003/04 season. Wicketkeeper Tim Clarke and Brett Hampton are two other players who have 50-plus games in the Bay of Plenty uniform.

Not considered for the opening rounds of the Plunket Shield due to injury are Ben Wheeler (hamstring niggle), Josh Clarkson (fractured ulna), Ryan McCone (back), Liam Dudding (wrist) and Jesse Ryder (knee). Tom Bruce is also unavailable having joined NZC-contracted players George Worker, Adam Milne and Ross Taylor on the Black Caps' tour of India.

"It's disappointing for a number of our players to be out with injury this early in the season, having worked very hard over the off-season," said Central Stags coach Heinrich Malan, who arrived back this week from New Zealand A's tour of India, along with key Stags Will Young and Seth Rance.

"But in saying that, we're very pleased to have Doug Bracewell back after his knee surgery and Bevan Small back from his shoulder reconstruction, the pair having missed out on almost all of last summer with their injuries.

"They showed at the Chapple Cup that they are both firing on all cylinders [Bracewell claimed a devastating four for six off six overs in the opening round] and they will be looking to take a lead role this season as two of our premier allrounders."

Central Stags squad for Plunket Shield Rounds One & Two: Will Young (c, Taranaki), Doug Bracewell (Hawke's Bay), Dane Cleaver (w, Manawatu), Greg Hay (Nelson), Ajaz Patel (Hawke's Bay), Navin Patel (Manawatu), Seth Rance (Wairarapa), Mitch Renwick (Manawatu), Brad Schmulian (Hawke's Bay), Bevan Small (Manawatu), Ben Smith (Wanganui), Blair Tickner (Hawke's Bay).

The Hawke's Bay team for this weekend is: Jake Smith (c, Cornwall), Matt Edmondson (NTOB), Dean Foxcroft (Taradale), Christian Leopard (NTOB), Angus Schaw (CHB), Ben Stoyanoff (Taradale), Graeme Tryon (Havelock North), Todd Watson (NTOB), Liam Rukuwai (NTOB), Jesse Pretorius (CHB), Scott Schaw (CHB), Robbie Brigham (NTOB), Dom Thompson (CHB).

The Bay of Plenty teams are: Game One T20: Tom MacRury, Stephen Crossan, Joe Carter, Sean Davey, Jono Boult (captain) Matt Golding, Tim Clarke, Christian MacDonald, Peter Drysdale, Cameron Riley, Tim Pringle, James Boyd. Game Two T20: Tim Clarke, Peter Drysdale, Joe Carter, Brett Hampton, Jono Boult (captain) Ben Musgrave, Stephen Crossan, Iman Singh, Brody Gilroy, Chris Atkinson, Tim Pringle, one to be added. Fifty Overs: Peter Drysdale (captain) Tom MacRury, Ben Musgrave, Sean Davey, Brett Hampton, Sean Dykes, Alastair Blackett, Christian MacDonald, Ben Pomare, Cameron Riley, Chris Atkinson, Craig Baldry.