Maungakaramea bowlers will be taking aim at Kaipara Flats opening batsman Brad Wilson at Kaipara tomorrow, as the 21-year-old looms as a major obstacle between the visitors and victory.
Wilson is the only player to have scored a century in the Northland Lion Red one-day cricket competition this season and is currently averaging more than 70 runs per match.
He showed good control on Sunday at the Northland trial match on a good batting track and was 49 not out when rain ended play.
He has been feeling "pretty good" at the crease - a result, he believes, of plenty of practice so far this year.
"I've done quite a bit of work this season and hit a lot of balls, so it's nice to see that get the reward it deserves," he said.
Wilson has spent the week in Hamilton, at spring training with the extended Northern Districts squad. Along with the 12 contracted players, the squad includes players on the fringe of selection - such as Wilson, Te Ahu Davis, Anton Devcich and South African Ryan Shute - who could see action for the side as cover.
The training is being run by outgoing coach Bruce Blair but under the watchful eye of their new English coach Andy Moles, who will shortly take over the side.
Wilson will be joined by Northern Districts captain James Marshall against Maungakarama tomorrow, as the players get leave from training to play club cricket this weekend.
"That's fantastic really because it's good for us not only because we need the cricket but it also strengthens up the (local) competition," Wilson said.
In other matches, Onerahi will be strong favourites at Kensington Park to beat Bledisloe, who have struggled in the opening rounds of the competition.
The Bay of Islands team have not enjoyed a good start to the season, with their overseas player deciding to eschew the team at the last moment, for a side in Queensland. They have also lost opening batsman Andy Thompson to Maungakaramea. He's one of a rash of their more experienced players from last season who are unavailable this year.
A lot now relies on former players putting their hands up to help the club through this difficult patch.
The final match is one that could easily go either way, with Whangarei Boys' High School playing Kamo at Kensington Park.
Boys' High are coming off a good victory against Bledisloe and could have the psychological edge, after Kamo suffered their first loss of the season to Onerahi last week.
CRICKET - Maungakaramea bowlers to target on-song Wilson
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