Defending champions Red Star should be put to the test by Wairarapa College when matches in the Wairarapa Cricket Association's Umpires Cup limited-overs competition get underway tomorrow. The students have lost the services of Wairarapa skipper Sam Curtis, the top order batsman and useful change bowler who played for Central DistrictsA last season, as well as promising wicket-keeper Alex Treseder and James Adamson. All three will be playing for Lansdowne in 2008-09. But they should benefit from the all-round skills of "import" Paul Bracewell, who bowls off spin and bats in the middle order, Daniel Ingham and Sean Jarvis, the aggressive batting of Wairarapa rep Robbie Anderson and the solidness of opening batsman Chris Wendon. Red Star will be without two of their most experienced campaigners in Carwyn Caffell and Shey O'Gorman this season but Daniel Stoneley, Brad Edwards, Joe Hull and Troy Burling give them give them good depth in the batting department. Also very handy with the willow is pace bowler Jarod Watt and his main support with the ball will probably come from Peter Sigvertsen and spinner Edwards. The other Umpire's Cup match tomorrow sees Rathkeale College up against Greytown. All-rounder Dean van Deventer will again be a mainstay of the Rathkeale line-up and big things can also be anticipated from the likes of Cole Eru, Jamie Holmes and Matthew Stringfellow. Greytown will be captained by Wairarapa wicket-keeper Duncan Didsbury and if Central Districts A paceman Seth Rance, Hayden Spierling, Shane Mellor and Glen Jonas are, as expected, all part of their squad their bowling stocks should be as strong as any in the competition. And they are not exactly short of batting talent either with Mark Childs, Jake Ross, Willie Tatham and Paul Lyttle leading the way there. Lansdowne have the bye tomorrow but they seem sure to be a force to be reckoned with this season. Gains like Curtis, Treseder and Adamson are big news for them and they will be joined by proven performers such as Robin James, Brock Price, Choi Jackson and Dane Buchanan.
