Cricket: Stags out of it but not shy to play trump cards

CD coach Heinrich Malan says it's been a summer of what-ifs for the Stags. Photo / File

The end of summer, as domestic cricketers know it, has come quickly but Central Districts coach Heinrich Malan says "hitting the ground running" remains on the agenda in their final fling, starting today.

"It's probably been a season of what-ifs around our four-day cricket," Malan said before captain William Young leads the fifth-placed Stags out for the last round of the Plunket Shield against contenders and defending champions Auckland Aces at McLean Park, Napier.

CD rocked any sense of complacency shield leaders Canterbury Kings may have harboured in the previous round in Nelson with a four-wicket victory.

Malan reflected on the shield opener against the Kings where CD came up shy. Against ND Knights the weather interfered and ditto Wellington Firebirds a fortnight ago here.

"For us, it's not about looking at whose party we can spoil but to understand how we can play four-day cricket and to find methods as a team to be a little bit more consistent in this format.

"I said to the boys the other day that we seem to be getting into the same scenario we had with the white ball, where we get up fast into positions to win the games, but we just don't get across the line."

On the bright side, Malan is relishing injecting 20-odd players into the equation, especially the likes of newcomers such as Navin Patel who have gained more experience in first-class cricket.

"The signs are that we're not too far off so that's really exciting."

He appreciates the motivation for second-placed Aces will be different today because anything short of outright victory will see the Cantabrians etch their names on the silverware.

However, that doesn't mean the Stags will simply go through the motions but will be out to claim 20 wickets.

Patches of rain today and tomorrow may eat up some overs although Friday and Saturday have a sunny outlook but it'll be interesting to see how McLean Park outfield will hold up.

"We'll try to bat for four sessions and if we look after those basics around our structure then, hopefully, we'll get ourselves in a position to be on the right side of the result," Malan said.

He has impressed on his troops that in the T20 format one player has to stand up, in one-dayers two but in four-dayers at least four are required to make a difference.

CD are going to be without century maker Jesse Ryder, injured seamer Seth Rance and speed merchant Adam Milne.

"Jesse has gone down to Wellington. We're lucky to have him for red-ball cricket because he had a white-ball contract only so he's played five out of 10 games for us," says team manager Lance Hamilton, adding Ryder was in the process of selling his properties there in a bid to settle down again in Napier to regain his fitness and resolve.

Hamilton says Milne has left early to fulfil his IPL T20 obligations.

Rookie seamers Liam Dudding, of Cornwall club in Hastings, and Ryan Watson, as well as batsman Mitchell Renwick come into the 12 today for some game time.

CD Stags: Ben Smith, Greg Hay, Mitchell Renwick, William Young (c), George Worker, Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver (wkt), Ajaz Patel, Navin Patel, Blair Tickner, Liam Dudding, Ryan Watson.