"When we were first told Jayawardene was coming we all took a double take. We really thought people were joking," reveals talented CD batsman William Young, who set the domestic T20 competition alight two games ago with a swashbuckling 96 runs for a personal best in the Stags' 10-run loss to the Auckland Aces.
"He's a cricketing superstar," says Young who was 5 years old when Jayawardene made his test debut against India in August 1997. "He's very nice and humble. Very easy to talk to and is getting on well with the lads."
While the Taranaki batsman, who has established a template to become a Black Cap after captaining the New Zealand Under-19 team, hasn't followed Sri Lanka cricket as such in his formative years, he did note the tourist's nous whenever he played in New Zealand or against other top-tier nations.
"Jayawardene always looks very cool, calm and relaxed under pressure.
"He times his shots well and appreciates T20 cricket."
Young, who turns 23 tomorrow, says the dexterity of the Sri Lankan will rub off on the predominantly young CD squad.
"It'll be a great opportunity to lap up some of his knowledge."
He is under no illusions of the burden of expectation riding on the broad shoulders of a batsman who is masterful when it comes to playing spinners.
Nevertheless, Young reckons Jayawardene will be no different to any other import, whose job description is clearly stipulated the second he accepts his portfolio.
Conversely, the Stags do not see him as the Messiah who will single-handedly drive them into the T20 finals at the newly christened Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth next month.
"Jayawardene comes in at good time and will help continue building the snowball," says Young as fellow star-struck Sri Lankan Indika Senarathne returns after four games for CD.
The Complete Flooring Napier Technical Old Boys batsman will join the Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative in their Hawke Cup campaign this weekend.
Another pivotal opening batsman, Jesse Ryder, who made his provincial debut for his birthplace of Wairarapa since returning from County cricket in England, is still recovering from a thigh injury.
"It's a shame Jesse got injured in the first game," says Young, revealing CD are in touch with Ryder who should definitely add to the "X-factor" in the equation.
The Cantabrians will be mindful of what Jayawardene can bring to T20, "a funny game".
"They have some wise heads in the group but if we get them out early then we'll be in with a chance," he says of CD who have two wins from five games and were sitting in fourth place, after yesterday's game between Sky City Northern Districts Knights and Mondiale Auckland Aces at Seddon Park was abandoned, on the ladder on equal eight points below the pair and above the Firebirds on run rates.
Otago Volts are perched on the top rung with 16 points.
The last-placed Kings are on four points from just one win and, like defending champions Wellington on Thursday, will be desperate to jump back on the 2015-16 saddle.
While Van Wyk feels CD bowlers are not mentally scarred as a result of last Sunday's roadkill at Eden Park No 2, last summer's white-ball king Andrew Mathieson returns to Napier with a back injury and Manawatu's Bevan Small begins his domestic season after returning from the casualty unit.
MATCH DETAILS
From the Georgie Pie Super Smash Twenty20 game with one player to be 12th man in line ups:
WHO: Central Districts Stags v Canterbury Kings.
WHEN: Today, from 7.10pm.
WHERE: Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth.
CD STAGS: Kruger van Wyk (c, wk, HB), William Young (vc, Taranaki), Tom Bruce (Taranaki), Josh Clarkson (Nelson), Mitchell Claydon (England import), Dane Cleaver (Manawatu), Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka import), Marty Kain (Nelson), Adam Milne (Manawatu), Seth Rance (Wairarapa), Bevan Small (Manawatu), George Worker (Manawatu).
Coach: Heinrich Malan.
CANTERBURY KINGS: Ronnie Hira (c), Aiden Blizzard, Peter Fulton, Henry Nicholls, Leo Carter, Andrew Ellis, Cameron Fletcher (wk), Todd Astle, Cole McConchie, Logan van Beek, Ed Nuttall, Hamish Bennett.
