Cricket: Astle and McMillan in Canterbury colours

Discarded Black Caps Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan will begin their cricketing redemption for Canterbury against Wellington at Rangiora on Friday.

Astle and McMillan have been included in a 16-man State Shield squad which truly lives up to the cliche of being a mix of experience and youth.

Eight of the regulars return from last summer, two former representatives have been recalled, and six newcomers are vying for positions in the starting line-up.

The old hands are captain Chris Harris, Michael Papps, Gary Stead, Astle, McMillan, Andrew Ellis, Shanan Stewart, and Paul Wiseman.

Carl Anderson last appeared for Canterbury at one-day level in 2002/03 before going overseas, and Cleighton Cornelius played the most recent of his nine games in 2003/04.

One of the new boys is former West Indian international Nixon McLean, who needs to prove he is recovered from the groin injury which kept him out of the last week's State Championship round.

Providing the youth are Iain Robertson, Hamish Bennett, Todd Astle, Richard Sherlock, and Brent Findlay.

State Shield squad: Chris Harris, Michael Papps, Paul Wiseman, Gary Stead, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Andrew Ellis, Shanan Stewart, Iain Robertson, Carl Anderson, Nixon McLean, Hamish Bennett, Richard Sherlock, Todd Astle, Cleighton Cornelius, Brent Findlay.

- nzpa