Central Districts Stags cricket captain Kieran Noema-Barnett has always been known for his relaxed approach to the game.
So it came as no surprise when the Hawke's Bay and Taradale allrounder warned against the need to panic as his troops approached today's start to the Plunket Shield four-dayer against fellow bottom-of-the-table outfit Auckland Aces at Napier's Nelson Park.
"If we play well there's a good chance we will win. If we look after the small things first, the result will look after itself. We have to get the little things right," Noema-Barnett explained.
The left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler makes his return after splitting the webbing between his thumb and index finger in the match against the Wellington Firebirds last month in their gut-wrenching last-ball loss in the HRV Cup Twenty20 game. Noema-Barnett, 26, proved he was ready for a return to the first class scene with a valuable contribution to Hawke's Bay's Hawke Cup win against Taranaki at Nelson Park last weekend.
"It was good to have a hit-out but this is another step up and I'm looking forward to playing again at this level," the former New Zealand under-19 representative said.