Brad Wilson hopes that playing on his favourite ground could help swing the game the Northern Knights' way when they host Otago starting on Wednesday at Cobham Oval.
Wilson says he's striking the ball well this season and his first innings score of 71 was a vital component in theKnights' impressive seven wicket win over Central Districts in Hamilton on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Northlander will be trying to back that up in the first-class Plunket Shield match at the venue he believes deserves more four-day cricket.
"It's always nice to get runs after doing all the hard work but now I need to kick on and I'll be looking to do that in Whangarei," he said.
The Knights' twin international pace attack of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who were sensational against Central, will return to the Black Caps for the test series against the West Indies and their presence will be missed in the Otago clash.
"Obviously they'll be a loss but Scott Kuggeleijn bowled well [in Hamilton] and we've got the experience of Graeme Aldridge coming into the squad and I think James Baker might be the other seamer to replace Timmy and Trent," he predicted.
He said there is good depth in the squad but Otago will be a tough proposition - particularly with Jesse Ryder heading south and in good run-scoring form.
"We've got good momentum in the competition," he said. "But now it's going to be the real test where the senior players have to stand up and the younger players have to come in and contribute as well so we can do the job," he said.
The Kaipara Flats opener hopes to bring up 3500 first-class runs for the Knights during the match and believes the ground is underused at the that level.
"We don't get as much cricket in Whangarei as I'd like. We only get up there once or twice a season and it's a shame because it's such a great ground with great facilities. But it's also good for people in places like Gisborne to have first-class cricket to watch because they're passionate about their cricket too," he said.
Wilson said it would be strange to return to Cobham Oval as the only Northlander in the team.
"It's a while there hasn't been a Marshall in the team [referring to brothers Hamish and James], so there's a bit of a changing of the guard at the moment," he said.
The match starts on Wednesday and is scheduled for four days.
