Yovich boost for Northland

As soon as Joey Yovich heard he wasn't required for the next two Northern Knights one-day matches he was on the phone to Northland Cricket to make himself available for this weekend's match against Waikato Valley.
"There's a few of us not needed in the next couple of games so I've made myself available for Northland - it's good to be back playing with the boys - I'm very passionate about playing for Northland and I'll take this chance while I can," he said.
For Yovich the opportunity has come at a good time. He has shown his usual commitment to Knights' training and is raring to go.
"I'd rather not rest or hang around at the moment, I'm still in good form even though I'm not playing in the next two [HRV Cup] games, so it's good to get some game time."
Yovich is one of three changes made in the Northland side to take on Waikato Valley at Cobham Oval in their two-day Fergus Hickey match - originally scheduled for early next year but brought forward at Northland's request so the match didn't clash with a first class fixture.
The selectors have added two allrounders, Yovich and Tazz Satti, and a batsmen, Ian Page, to the team to replace an all rounder, Ewan Thompson, and two batsmen Rhys Farrand and Michael Parlane, who are both unavailable.
Thompson said the return of Yovich would add more than just another all rounder into the side.
"He's invaluable to us really because he brings so much experience into the side," he said.
Satti returns to the side after being forced to miss the Hamilton match through illness allowing Thompson to drop himself from the line-up. Ian Page earns a recall after breaking a long series of low scores with a 140 in club cricket last weekend.
"I think Ian's had a wee bit of a lesson that the game isn't as easy as it seems sometimes but he's applied himself and gone away and scored runs and now he's back in," Thompson said.
Page will probably open with Rory Darkins, with the in-form Williams and Cooper at three and four with Yovich most likely to bat at number-five.
With rain forecast for the weekend, the team's focus is to get themselves the first innings points before trying to claim an outright win. The match is scheduled to start at 10.30am on Saturday.
After playing in two of the Knights four HRV Cup matches to date, Yovich believes the popularity of the T20 game continues to grow. He added the quality of international players has also helped to add popularity to the game.
Black Caps Tim Southee and Scott Styris return to the Northern Knights for this evening's game against the Canterbury Wizards. The match starts at Seddon Park in Hamilton at 6pm.
Northland: Brett Hood (c), Jake Phillips (vc), Tazz Satti, Matt Taylor (Kaipara Flats), Curtis Cherrington (Kamo), Henry Cooper, Ben Hyde, Ben Williams (WBHS), Rory Darkins, Chris Page, Ian Page, Joseph Yovich (City).