STUMPS IN: Weather permitting, today will be the start of the 2013-14 Wanganui cricket season. PHOTO/FILE
While a forecast of showers with a chance of hail might make today's beginning of the 2013-14 cricket season a possible non-starter, there are four Premier 1 club sides who will be looking to make an impression when the sun does start shining.
The newcomers are the St Johns Tech 1st XI, granted entrance to Premier 1 this season after they attempted to get off the ground in the new Wanganui Premier League in the second half of last summer.
Wanganui High School's squad in Premier 2 will act as the feeder entity for Tech's top side, as their 2nd XI is more of a social team.
Bayer Marist will have youngsters of their own as they usher in some new blood to complement the veteran leadership group, while last season's Premier League champions Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens have retained most of their line-up with an added Manawatu flavour.
Last season's One Day champions Property Brokers United 1st XI also have a familiar look about them, although the departure of a key bowler will be a blow to their chances of retaining the title.
So, with the help of spokesmen Brett Turner (Marist), Dominic Rayner (Saracens), Max Carroll (United) and Andrew Lock (Tech), here is a look at the teams as they line up when the stumps go in the ground.
Bayer Marist
Marist has a younger-looking side with Sanket Sali and Ben Lourie leaving Wanganui for the summer, Gee Singh injured and "Wanganui legend" Brett Turner unavailable for large parts of the campaign.
However, they should have no problem adjusting, given the experience around them of veterans like wily Mark Fraser, Fraser Kinnerly, Sam O'Leary, Craig Thorpe and the talents of Brett Cameron a Central Districts U17 rep and last season's Junior Cricketer of the Year.
University students Luke Burgess and John McIllraith will add firepower when they return in coming weeks while up-and-coming seamer Sam Monehan also provides extra pace options alongside Thorpe, Kinnerly and O'Leary.
With no Collegiate in Premier 1, the school's batting mainstay Morgan Inness will represent Marist for the first round of the competition, while professional Ben Smith could possibly be available for a few appearances.
Fraser again takes a major leadership role while O'Leary has been named as manager and club captain for the season.
Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens
The bulk of last year's Premier League winning team have returned, with the losses of Karl Borc (Ohakea retired) and Ollie Gordon (Taupo) being off-set by the arrival and return of players from Palmerston North's Old Boys Club.
Brad Childs will boost the spin attack with Bryant Galpin, while another Old Boys player, Bryce Grant, will share the gloves and bat in the top five of the order as he looks to force his way into the representative team.
Batsman Dave Woolston is also back from injury/retirement.
New Zealand Under-19 duo Henry Collier and Nick Blundell will be with Saracens until Christmas before they head to the U19 World Cup.
When the Wanganui players are away for games, reps Saracens will combine their 1st and 2nd XI squads evenly to compete in the Twenty20 competition.
This is to assist the 2nd XI players and make the format more enjoyable when playing stronger squads.
Property Brokers United 1st XI
Last season's One Day champions are pleased loyalty has retained most of their players for another tilt at the crown, although more are welcome to join.
The youth, in Chris Sharrock, Dylan Martin and Tyler McElwaine, are looking to step up from solid efforts made last year, trying to get that one good performance which opens the door to runs and wickets.
The middle order remains much the same, featuring Tom Lance, Max Carroll, Robbie Power, Gerard Hobbs and Stephan Holloway.
Leading run scorer last year Andrew McCaa remains, although with the likelihood of leaving at the end of this month for a job in Rotorua.
All rounders Brendan Walker and Jamie Whiteman will add hitting power and quality bowling.
It is a dismay to see the departure of Andrew Cording to the rolling hills of southwest England, although not for the teams United will play this year.
Cording was one of Premier 1's most dominant bowlers for years and a fierce competitor on the pitch often seen giving advice to batsmen of their forward defensive.
St Johns Tech 1st XI
The newcomers, St Johns Tech squad is a mix of young and old.
They will be captained by Dominic Lock will be supported by last year's representative players, Kane Watkin, Trent Hemi, Bevan Hunter and Travis Bartels. Tech has an English import in Paul O'Callaghan, a fast bowler from Cumbria in the north of England.
Like many teams in both Premier grades, Tech will struggle to get their full team on the field in the early rounds due to the unavailability of university players. The partnership with Wanganui High School gives an opportunity for the best young players to fill that gap in Premier 1.