The first Active Physio Cricket Wanganui team for season 2015-16 will get a full dress rehearsal today at City College against the Naenae Old Boys Cricket Club from Wellington.
Under new coaching staff Stu Gillespie and Dilan Raj, the individual members of the team have managed to get in training sessions in Wanganui and in Hamilton and Christchurch, working indoors on their programmes.
However, Brett Cameron, Todd Inness, Matthew Boswell and Chris Sharrock are still away at university and unavailable, as are locally-based bowlers Ryan Slight and Ross Kinnerley due to other commitments.
The team will be captained today by Mark Fraser, although this is likely to be a one-off so the veteran can focus on his batting after breaking into the Central Districts A team for Twenty20 games last summer.
"Ben Smith will bat in the top order and Travis Bartels returns from Hamilton to show his intentions as one of the main bowlers," said Raj.