"It's do or die for both teams, actually, so the pressure might be actually on us but, in some ways, it's the same for them," Young says, seeing it as excitement rather consternation.
For the record, Puke Park has spurned the Stags' advances this summer. The hosts have won a Ford Trophy one-day game there but come away empty-handed from two T20s.
"It's a shame because we've had the crowds both times and all the players know we've had some great success at the park."
Young isn't superstitious about it although they wonder why wins have dried up.
Instead the top-order batsman, who is the side's top scorer with 260 runs at No 4 on the leaderboard — 40 behind leader Tim Seifert — takes a more pragmatic view.
"We've let ourselves down ... if I'm honest our batting hasn't been up to scratch and if you try to defend a small total at Puke ... and the boys have bowled incredibly well but come up short both times," he says, casting his mind back over a yo-yo T20 campaign.
"We've stuffed up and haven't quite got to the 200-plus score we've been after," he says, lamenting the three-wicket defeat to Otago Volts on his home ground last Saturday before walloping them by 118 runs at Queen's Park in Invercargill on Tuesday.
Ditto the eight-run win over the Kings in Nelson on December 17 and then losing by 17 runs on December 22 at Rangiora, and the 49-run win over ND at Bay Oval on December 30 but succumbing by five wickets at Puke Park.
While his decision after coin tossescan come under scrutiny, Young feels all that often becomes redundant if batsman, bowlers and fielders fulfil their dossier with competitive totals, uncompromising wicket taking and stifling fielding.
"I don't think the toss is something to get too worked up over because we can't control that so we just have to grin and bear it and make the most of it," he says, revealing the wicket inspection today will be pivotal in what they will do should they secure that privilege.
Malan has divided the squad into two tribes — batsmen and bowlers — where conservatism is sacrilegious. The mantra is playing without fear where opportunity on the crease is about expressing oneself.
"It can be easy in Twenty20 to look up at the board and worry about what my strike rate is or what run rate do we need."
So when does no fear cross the boundary into recklessness?
For Young it's about empowerment to draw on confidence to play any shot, depending on the bowler.
"It's when you're calm and still have your brain attached that you play your best."
CD also will have an eye on the Canterbury v Knights game on Sunday at Seddon Park, Hamilton, because if the Kings stumble and the Stags win both their games it's playoffs time.
If the Kings win and CD go through unblemished the run rate will kick in with the former holding that edge now but two wins for the latter will improve their chances.
From Young's position, it's a case of getting the job done and leaving the permutations to run their course. "We play really well against a side and then lose to them the next time, which is frustrating and, I'm sure, for our fans watching at home."
He struggles to find a cause for such inconsistencybut knows there's hunger within the collective and self-belief to deliver.
A bit of tough love has crept in at the business end with opening batsman Ben Smith carrying the drinks against Otago and season rookie Christian Leopard promoted with immediate impact with 52 from 22 balls.
Young, who scored 79 from 43 balls, says Smith didn't bat as well as he would have liked and a discussion with Malan saw the former New Zealand U21 player earning the right for a "top-class" knock.
"He took some very good options with certain bowlers ... and the ball was flying from the middle of his bat and he was loving it," he says, lauding Malan for his intuition.
Young says Black Caps batsman Tom Bruce, negotiating the revolving door from domestic to international duties, is finding his mojo with some crease time after scoring 42 runs from 24 balls.
"Hopefully he's returning to form and can smash the Firebirds."
Cricket, he stresses, is a great leveller and opening batsman Jesse Ryder has lost some sheen but he has no doubts the No 10 highest-run scorer (192) is capable of changing the momentum of a game.
Bowling statistics show CD have the armoury with seamer Blair Tickner setting the pace at No 1 with 14 wickets and spinner Ajaz Patel ninth equal on eight scalps.
Young says other stats, such as dot percentages, favour the Stags across the board.
"It's good to see but, to be honest, it'll be better to see a couple more wins in the column from the team perspective."
