Weather may deliver bouncer

SCHOOL ACTION: Matthew Lobb will captain Northland's senior secondary school side against Counties Manakau. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Adverse playing conditions could cause play to slow for several cricketing fixtures starting this long weekend.

Although a front is expected to bring rain to parts of Northland, local players at premier, reserve grade, and representative levels will be fronting up for a big weekend of cricket regardless.

At Kaipara Flats Cricket Club, Rodney will host Mid Western on Bourne Deane Domain for the final of the 2015 Dargaville Shield today.

With the match kicking-off at 11am, frontrunners Mid Western are in good stead to retain the Shield for a fourth year, however, they'll need to be wearing their best whites to hold off a Rodney side hungry for the win.

"We're very keen to win everything we can," Rodney's Kevin Forde said.

"There's a good rivalry between us and Maungakaramea boys ... I believe we can [win]."

With the game set to be played on a grass wicket, Forde added he was expecting a relatively close scoreline, and the advantage of the fresh pitch to play into the hands of the bowlers.

Mid Western and Northern Knights seamer Cody Andrews will be one player looking to make use of the grass pitch.

"It should be a good wicket," Mid Western's Neal Parlane said.

"We've got our young, fast guys ... Cody's one of our five very good seamers, and it's [bowling attack] definitely on par with theirs, although they have a little more experience."

Meanwhile the battle of Whangarei will see Whangarei North and Whangarei South face-off to determine who receives the wooden spoon for the 2015 Dargaville Shield season.

This game is scheduled to to take place at Kensington Park, 12pm today.

In the reserve grade, the Mid Western reserves will host Whangarei South's reserves at Maungakaramea, going head-to-head in the Greg Guy Shield final.

The reserve grade playoff for 3rd/4th will see Whangarei North play Rodney.

Both games start 12pm at Kensington Park, today.

Also playing this weekend, Northland's senior secondary, junior secondary and primary school teams host sides from Counties Manakau at Kensington Park and Tikipunga tomorrow and Monday.