Cricket: New pups sorted as injuries take hold

Ben Wheeler.

Seth Rance, out. Ben Wheeler, out. Doug Bracewell, away on international duties.

"With the injuries, we're trying to bring some new pups up to speed pretty quickly," Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags coach Heinrich Malan said last night before today's round 4 Ford Trophy one-day match against the Wellington Firebirds in Nelson.

Stevie Smidt, in. Matt Thomas, in. Pups sorted.

Oh, and Black Caps speed merchant Adam Milne was last night jetting from Wellington to Saxton Oval, too.

Malan said Milne was initially not available for round four, as part of NZ Cricket's rest and rotation policy to ease fast bowlers' workload, but he would now not be playing in round five.

The Firebirds, the Georgie Pie Super Super Smash T20 champions this summer, have yet to register a win in the limited-overs competition.

Malan was adamant his troops wouldn't be complacent about a "quality" Wellington side who could be coming out of hibernation against them today.

"We don't want to underestimate anyone."

Hawke's Bay men's representative captain, Smidt, comes into the 13 as a seamer after taking seven wickets from two matches at the National Provincial A Tournament in Canterbury at the weekend.

Matt Thomas, of Taranaki, offers a left-arm spin option and, like Smidt, can be handy with a bat in the lower order.

It's grim news on Rance, who has picked up a groin injury, and Wheeler, who broke his middle finger at training last Thursday before the second flogging of Canterbury Kings in Timaru.

Malan said the two were out of the Ford Trophy but should be back for the Plunket Shield.