New faces in Taranaki mix

While there are a number of new faces in the Revital Fertilisers Taranaki team to face Active Physio Wanganui in their Hawke Cup match in New Plymouth today, it is their regulars the visitors must be wary of.

Taranaki coach Debu Benik has selected three players for their representative debuts Jordie Barrett, Callum Stuart and Mattie Thomas who will slot in among some seasoned campaigners.

Like Wanganui, there are seven Taranaki survivors from when the two sides last met at Victoria Park in January.

Key to Taranaki's 90-run win was the batting of dynamic opener Peter Ingram, who survived an early dropped catch on day one to score 152 runs from 156 balls, then smacked a quick fire 38 from 25 balls the next day in partnership with Dean Robinson (85 not out off 68 balls).

Wanganui will be glad to see the back of pace bowler Ryan Watson, who took 6-16 in a nine-over spell to destroy them last time out, although Tom Bruce is there and also likes to collect Wanganui scalps.

Both teams lost key batsmen to Central District's Twenty20 match last night against Wellington Wanganui's Ben Smith and Taranaki's Will Young.

However, the home team have brought in former Waikato-based left hander Trent McGrath for his Taranaki two-day game debut after scoring plenty of runs at club level.

The match starts at 10.30am today.

The Taranaki team is: Peter Ingram, Dean Robinson, Trent McGrath, Tom Bruce, James McDougall, Dion Ebrahim, Moritz Hartman, Mattie Thomas, Jamie Watkins, Hayden McIntyre, Callum Stuart, Jordie Barrett.