Blair Tickner and the Central Districts Stags can seal a Super Smash preliminary final berth with victory. Photo / Paul Taylor
Blair Tickner and the Central Districts Stags can seal a Super Smash preliminary final berth with victory. Photo / Paul Taylor
Central Districts Stags seamer Blair Tickner can't wait to get out on his home patch for Friday night's Dream11 Super Smash Twenty20 match against the Canterbury Kings at McLean Park.
Canterbury have already locked in a preliminary final spot, so a win for the Stags will see them grab theother available place in that game to set up a rematch next week.
Tickner said although that means there is a lot riding on this final round-robin match, nothing changes for the Stags, who go into every game wanting to win.
It will be that much more special for the 27-year-old from Napier, who said plenty of family will be there to watch him.
"It's always nice playing in Napier," Tickner said.
In their last match, the Stags suffered their fourth loss of the season, to the first-placed Wellington Firebirds, who have already locked in a home final.
As a tail-ender Blair Tickner doesn't always get to bat, but leading the Super Smash with 14 wickets so far shows he is a star with the ball. Photo / Paul Taylor
Tickner, who has played six Twenty20 internationals for the Black Caps, said while the result got away from them in that game, he and his team-mates need to trust their processes and performance, having had a successful season so far.
His own individual form has been excellent - Tickner is the competition's leading wicket-taker with 14 in the nine matches to date.
"All the variations, new things I'm trying, everything's coming off," he said.
The Stags game begins at 7.10pm, before which the Central Districts Hinds will play the Canterbury Magicians at 3.40pm in the first game of the Super Smash doubleheader.
Having picked up just two wins so far, leaving them out of playoff contention, the Hinds have less to play for but coach Jamie Watkins said they are keen to end their Twenty20 season on a high note.
He said his team had been performing pretty well over the last three weeks after a rough start to the Super Smash.
"We had a couple of good wins against Otago and Auckland, and have been trending in the right direction," Watkin said.
The coach added that it is important to carry as much momentum as possible into the resumption of the 50-over Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in a couple of weeks, as the Hinds are currently leading that competition with just four matches remaining.
