Collier trials for Stags in lead-up to U19 Cup

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Wanganui representative cricketer Henry Collier has had a real taste of the professional environment during trial games for the Central District Stags.

But his dream of playing in the New Zealand Under-19 World Cup team is going on the backburner for a couple of months.

Collier and Nick Blundell are in the wider NZU19 squad but after their October camp, the coaches have decided to push out naming their final squad to go to India to January.

Collier said it was a "tough" wait, but it meant the 19-year-old could focus on putting full effort into the Stags trials, in a two-day match and T20 games in Napier.

"They were pretty good. It was just a different experience to get involved in that," Collier said.

His Wanganui captain and Central Districts professional Ben Smith was in fine touch, scoring a century in the two-day match.

"He got a good hundred, because [fast bowler] Adam Milne was steaming in."

Collier wasn't overly thrilled to give his wicket away in two innings - scoring nine and 19 - however he is hoping to continue his previous good Chapple Cup form and be a key member of Wanganui and Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens in the lead-up to the New Year.

"Talking to the CD coaches, I will be playing in Palmerston North until university's over, because under the rules when I play, I have to play for a club there.

"Then I'll come home to Taihape and play Hawke Cup and on spare weekends play club cricket.

"In January I've got a couple of tournaments and [New Zealand] selection."

Weather permitting, the Porter Hire Premier 1 one-day competition will begin today with St Johns Tech facing Bayer Marist, while Property Brokers United meet Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens.