Step up in form needed

After missing the heavy loss to Taranaki while overseas, Dominic Rayner comes back into the Wanganui team tomorrow. PHOTO/FILE

The return of a veteran and having a look at another young man at opener are the key changes for the Active Physio Wanganui squad for tomorrow's Hawke Cup clash with familiar neighbours Horowhenua Kapiti.

Having to pick themselves off the floor after the embarrassment of their late capitulation against Taranaki two weeks ago, losing by 10 wickets after being bowled out for 50 in the second innings, two players have been dropped while veteran Dom Rayner returns as the important senior player with Ben Smith now unavailable.

Smith did not add as much as hoped with two low scores against Taranaki after coming back from injury, but could have been valuable with a second dig this weekend.

After consecutive scores of six as opener, John McIlraith has been dropped, while Dominic Lock retains his opener's place after another captain's knock of 88 not out at club level for St Johns Tech against Property Brokers United last Saturday.

"Dom's got some runs in club cricket, but he's got to step up," said coach Stu Gillespie.

"It's who we got to replace the players we got - we're limited."

After limited overs against Taranaki, bowler Sam O'Leary has also been replaced, with Mathew Boswell coming into the team after some promising batting form for United.

Formally a good schoolboy cricketer up in Taranaki, Boswell's family moved to the Whanganui region and he has come here at the end of the university year. "With Boswell, he's a batsman that keeps. He'll get a chance at the top," said Gillespie.

"We'll look at Chris Sharrock as a bowling option after his effort at the weekend."

Sharrock took off the gloves in favour of Boswell and with his medium pacers picked up 3-37 for United against Tech.

Hamish Harding's decent run of club scores for Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens also sees him included in the middle order. It is really the fact that key players have had some success in the new Coastal Cup competition against the Horowhenua-Kapiti club players so far this summer which Gillespie is relying upon.

These are familiar opponents, it is only the stage which is larger.

"There's no surprises, it's about performance, some of them taking their club form and taking it to rep level. That's the big question," said Gillespie.

"That was just a debacle [against Taranaki]. There's been a fair bit of discussion from the team point of view ... from within. It comes back to them, if they want it or not, that's something I can't answer."

Rain is a possibility tomorrow and more likely for Sunday, although Gillespie said a little moisture on a green wicket may help the locals' bowling attack. The two-day game will start at 10.30am tomorrow.