Former Black Caps test batsman Bryan Young is set to take part in a festival cricket match on Saturday to mark the opening of the new Cobham Oval cricket ground in Whangarei.
Young has been named in the Northland Masters team that will play the Auckland Masters at the new oval
on Okara Rd.
He is part of an impressive line-up of former Northland cricketers assembled for the game, including Neil Carman, Murray Child and captain Barry Cooper.
But the Northland masters team has an equally illustrious team to play against with the visiting side captained by former Black Caps spin bowler Dipak Patel and including Andrew Jones, Trevor Franklin and Bill Fowler. The new wicket at the redeveloped Cobham Oval was used for premier club cricket for the first time last week and will be the venue for Northland representative games this season also.
But as the Northland Masters were the last team to play a competitive match at the old Cobham Oval before it was sold to The Warehouse and turned into a car park, the Masters were keen to be among the first to play on the new ground.
Northland masters representative Roger Turner said the limited overs game would be part of a weekend of action to celebrate the new development.
"The Auckland Masters were very keen to play the game and I think the calibre of cricketers they are bringing north will give the match some significance," Turner said.
"We have golf on Friday, the game on Saturday and some cricket coaching for some younger players on Sunday," he said.
The 40-over game starts at 1pm on Saturday. Entry is free. The teams are .-
Northland Masters: Barry Cooper, Roger Turner, Karl Treiber, Neil Carman, Murray Child, Bryan Young, Ross Kneebone, Steve Scott, Martin Kimber, Dean Potter, Darron Goodwin, Michael Scott, Alan Adcock.
Auckland Masters: Bill Fowler, Doug Cowie, Dipak Patel, Andrew Jones, Trevor Franklin, Alan Hunt, Warren Stott, Rod Aiken, Martin Pringle, Jason Mills, Barry Frost.
