Ford Trophy final: Doug Bracewell returns to McLean Park, fresh from Black Caps call-up

Liam Dudding trains at Nelson Park for Tuesday's Ford Trophy final at McLean Park. Photo / Warren Buckland

Doug Bracewell has returned from the Black Caps to play for the Central Stags in Tuesday’s free admission Ford Trophy national final.

It’s set to start at 11am against Canterbury at McLean Park.

It’s the first national final to be held in Napier for 22 years, and the top-qualifying Stags have named a squad of 13 for their second consecutive trophy showdown.

They also made the one-day final as the top qualifier last season, but came home empty-handed.

It’s the first of two New Zealand titles the Stags will contest over the next eight days, with the Plunket Shield up for grabs next week in Nelson - and the same two teams, the Central Stags and Canterbury, the only two remaining contenders for the first-class title.

The one-day final at McLean Park is free admission to support the Hawke’s Bay public and local cricket community, after a tough month in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Donations will be collected at the gate for the official Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Fund, and spot prizes awarded to supporters during the day. Spectators are encouraged to bring a banner to support their team and bring a picnic for the grass bank or open seating in the Harris Stand.

Back from a forearm injury, local Hawke’s Bay paceman Liam Dudding comes back into the squad for the first time this year.

Top wicket-taker Brett Randell, was ruled out of the big game by a concussion sustained in last week’s outstanding Plunket Shield win in Palmerston North.

Experienced 33-match all-rounder Bevan Small has also been named in the squad. If named in the starting XI, Small will play his first one-dayer for the team since November 2018 in Dunedin, and his first home Ford Trophy match at McLean Park since 2015, after his inspiring comeback from twin knee surgeries.

Captain Tom Bruce leads the squad from the front as the top fielder in the competition nationally, his safe hands having pouched nine catches.

Top order batsman Ben Smith has the highest score by any player this season: his smashing 145 in a win against Northern Districts in Hamilton, while Hawke’s Bay local Brad Schmulian is the second-highest run-scorer in this year’s competition overall with 383 runs at a 42.56 average, including four half-centuries and a best of 93.

Schmulian is poised to overtake Otago Volts captain Hamish Rutherford (408 runs) with another good knock tomorrow.

Canterbury took the long route to the final by beating the Volts in the 2 v 3 elimination final back in February.

Should weather prevent a result tomorrow, the Stags’ higher standing on the table would see the Stags claim the trophy.

Spin star Ajaz Patel says the team is looking forward to playing and earning the title on the field.

“We always get up before games with Canterbury. It’s a classic rivalry, for sure,” Patel said.

“They’re a good side who have played some very good cricket this summer, and as a team we are looking forward to that challenge.”

Although the cyclone-rescheduled final is being played on a work day, Patel is hoping that, with free entry all day, the Hawke’s Bay public can come down to watch at lunch, or after work - or all day to see a treat of a match.

“It’s quite special to have the final in Napier. Playing at home is a benefit for us, not for Canterbury,” Patel said.

“McLean Park is also a ground that I love playing at, and after the cylone and all the devastation that’s happened here in Hawke’s Bay, it’s really cool to be able to play here and hopefully get a decent crowd along so that we can really bring some joy to a lot of faces.

“As a professional sportsperson, you’re also an entertainer, and it’s important we put on a show, put on a nice day out for people and their family and their friends.”