New Zealand Croatia Cricket, a club that's been playing for just four years, will feature three Northlanders in today's match against Auckland Cricket's Developing Future Aces, Auckland's under-19 team.
Duracrete Products City's Joey Yovich, Onerahi Central keeper Brad Kneebone and former Black Cap James Marshall will be involved in the contest at Auckland's Cornwall Park.
The match is part of the under-19's preparations for this season and Yovich sees why they have chosen to face off with the New Zealand Croatia side.
"It must be something about us Kiwi Croatians," he said. "We fight hard, work hard, we're not here to muck around. Right from the beginning, our team set its standards high."
The club was born when long-time Northern Districts allrounder Yovich, former Waikato Valley wicketkeeper Tony Govorko and former Auckland A rep John Vujnovich looked around and realised how many cricketers there were floating around the traps evidently of Croatian extraction.