T20 heralds feast of action for Tauranga

IN CHARGE: Daniel Flynn will captain the Northern Knights against Otago Volts at Bay Oval tomorrow. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

The Georgie Pie Super Smash Twenty20 encounter between the Sky City Northern Knights and the Otago Volts tomorrow begins an extravaganza of top level cricket at the Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui over the next three months.

The Black Caps play Sri Lanka in an ODI on January 5 and then two days later the teams meet in a Twenty20 encounter. In late February the women's World Cup champions, Australia, play the White Ferns in a three-game ODI series.

The Knights will be without the returning Black Caps as they have been rested ahead of the Sri Lankan tour. Mitchell Santner said this was an important weekend for the Knights to secure their place in the finals.

"I am disappointed to not be playing. Hopefully the boys can bring it home over the weekend. It would be great to see as many Knights' fans as possible at the grounds for our final home matches," he said.

Mount Maunganui's Dean Brownlie remains unavailable as he recovers from a groin tendon injury. Leading the Knights charge for victory is Tauranga's former Black Cap Daniel Flynn, who will captain the side. Flynn has 18 first class centuries with a highest score of 241, backed up by five domestic one-day centuries, to his name. Two other Knights who have worn the Black Cap uniform, Mount-resident Corey Anderson and Anton Devcich, are both batsmen who like to blast the ball.

An international flavour will be provided too, with the Northern Knights having Kevin O'Brien from Ireland and Dutch international Timm van der Gugten in their T20 ranks this season. Bay of Plenty are likely to have further representation in the Knights side on Sunday afternoon with Jono Boult and Brett Hampton likey to earn further T20 team selection.

-Gates open at Bay Oval at 2pm on Sunday with the first ball to be bowled at 3pm.