Jamie How will be the first to admit it takes some getting used to in to-ing and fro-ing between Twenty20 and Plunket Shield in domestic men's cricket.
"The format this summer seems to be as challenging as ever," says the stand-in Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags captain. He leads his team out on to Seddon Park, Hamilton, from today for the second round of the four-day, first-class match against the Northern Districts Knights.
However, How is quick to attest to how the switch from the shorter format to the longer one is the panacea to carrying excess mental baggage after an agonising last-ball defeat to the Wellington Firebirds last Friday in the capital city.
"I guess, in some small way, it's tight after the heart-breaking loss the other night but it's nice to put on the white pads to start looking for the red ball," says the former New Zealand international batsman.
Although it's early days, the Heinrich Malan-coached Stags have yet to win a game in either format after losing two T20s and a shield match with the opening round T20 washed out without a ball in Christchurch.