Stags Want Three From Three At Pukekura Park

The Central Stags and Hinds have named unchanged squads for their fourth home doubleheader at the top end of the Dream11 Super Smash season, other than a reduction from 13 to 12 players for tomorrow's twin T20 clashes with the Auckland Aces and Hearts in New Plymouth.

Ashtuti Kumar and Bayley Wiggins drop out as the respective squads get ready for their last scheduled doubleheader at Pukekura Park this season, with gates opening at 10am tomorrow.

The hungry Hinds are now the only winless team in the league - something they would dearly like to rewrite tomorrow, after having taken their match against Northern Brave to the very last ball with Hannah Rowe’s maiden T20 half century. Meanwhile the Stags are on the charge, bouncing off two impressive wins.

The men went back-to-back at Pukekura Park last week against the Canterbury Kings and Northern Brave, making full use of a fast outfield and sunny skies.

Now it's the Auckland Aces' turn in the firing line, the visitors mid-table and coming off a rare tied match against the Otago Volts in Auckland that could prove crucial to final calculations on the table, being worth half as many points as a win.

While other teams have now lost players to the BLACKCAPS imminent white-ball series in Pakistan, the Stags squad is stable and spinner Jayden Lennox says the team is feeling energised after two hard fought, close games of cricket at the ground.

"As a unit, we have been travelling well, and the crowds have been very good for the doubleheaders, with the nice Taranaki weather bringing out the locals.

"We've loved all the support, and we're looking to go three from three at Pukekura tomorrow against the Aces."

Lennox says that three games in a row also helps bring home advantage into play for Central.

"It's good that we're fairly well versed in playing there now, knowing the conditions and the areas as well.

"Other teams only get one chance in the season to play here, so we have the advantage there to put us in a good position again.

"I think we saw that in the last game where we contained well as a bowling unit at the back end of the Brave innings, knowing that a 218 total was one we could still chase down."

Powerhouse striker, Nelson's Josh Clarkson is the second highest run-scorer in the men's Dream11 Super Smash nationally after pelting consecutive scores of 55, 46 not out, and 58 to tally 159 runs from three games at a meaty 79.50 average and head-turning 214.86 strike rate.

Meanwhile for the Hinds, WHITE FERNS star Rowe continues to strengthen her all-round credentials.

Rowe smashed three sixes in her 32-ball 50 that gave the Hinds a fighting chance, after a superb 2-11 off four overs at the top with the ball.

Both matches are live and on demand at Spark Sport, and are livescored (along with match updates) at www.cdcricket.co.nz

Dream11 Super Smash

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

ROUND 4

11am and 2.40pm, 5 January 2023

Hinds toss: 10.30am

Stags toss: 2.10pm

Gates open: 10am

CENTRAL HINDS v Auckland Hearts

Jess Watkin (captain) — Manawatu

Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu

Ocean Bartlett — Wairarapa

Emily Cunningham — Taranaki

Flora Devonshire — Hawke’s Bay

Natalie Dodd (v-c, wicketkeeper) — Taranaki

Claudia Green — Nelson

Mikaela Greig — Manawatu

Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa

Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay

Hannah Rowe — Manawatu

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

Coach: Jamie Watkins

CENTRAL STAGS v Auckland Aces

Tom Bruce (captain) — Taranaki

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Dane Cleaver (wicketkeeper) — Manawatu

Liam Dudding — Hawke’s Bay (uncapped)

Greg Hay — Nelson

Brett Johnson — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Brett Randell

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Ross Taylor — Manawatu/Wairarapa

Ray Toole — Manawatu

Coach: Rob Walter

Unavailable contracted players:

Ajaz Patel (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Blair Tickner (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Will Young (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Joey Field (shoulder injury)

Seth Rance (shoulder injury)

Follow the campaign with hashtags: #centralhinds #lovethestags #supersmashnz

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