Bragging rights are for grabs when Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay play their annual pre-season fixtures this weekend.
The new format of Twenty20 cricket, introduced at the Northern Districts one-day tournament in Taupo in December, has changed the approach to the annual pre-season hit-out.
Tauranga's Fergusson Park will host two T20 games on Saturday, with a 50-over match-up between the two Bays taking centrestage on Sunday. The Bay of Plenty selectors have taken the opportunity to introduce a number of young players to senior men's representative cricket.
Cameron Riley, Sean Dykes, Ben Pomare, Craig Baldry and Tim Pringle all attend local secondary schools, and although they have played premier and age-group cricket, this weekend's games will be another learning step in their fledgling cricket careers.
Bay of Plenty Cricket Association cricket manager Tai Bridgman-Raison said the five had been on the radar for several years.