Cricket: Chance for selectors to firm up squad

Stephen Fleming

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and Otago wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins will lead the South and North teams respectively in the State of Origin one-day match at New Plymouth on Sunday.

The match at Pukekura Park will help the New Zealand selectors finalise their Black Caps squad for the Twenty20 match and one-day series against Australia starting next week.

Wellington skipper Fleming returns to the South for the match as he began his first-class career with Canterbury, while Hopkins heads back north.

He made his first-class debut with the Northern Conference team and then Northern Districts.

New Zealand selection panel manager Sir Richard Hadlee said the game would provide some excellent match-ups and allow some a last opportunity to impress.

A number of players who would have been in contention for selection are either being rested for the Australian tour, recovering from injuries or rehabilitating niggling complaints after an intensive State Shield programme.

Several players from the State Shield final, to be played at the same ground tomorrow between Northern Districts and Central Districts, will be involved in the match.

The North team will be coached by Wellington mentor Vaughn Johnson while Northern Districts coach Bruce Blair, who has turned around the fortunes of his side this year, takes charge of the South.

Squads

North (from): Gareth Hopkins (c), Jamie How, Mathew Sinclair, Hamish Marshall, Lou Vincent, Ross Taylor, James Franklin, Tama Canning, Andre Adams, Daryl Tuffey, Jeetan Patel, Graeme Aldridge.

South (from): Stephen Fleming (c), Michael Papps, Craig Cumming, Peter Fulton, Jarrod Englefield, Craig McMillan, Aaron Redmond, Nathan McCullum, Hayden Shaw, Brent Hefford, Chris Martin, Warren McSkimming.

- NZPA