Wellington Firebirds Make Two Changes for Top-of-Table Clash

Wellington Firebirds Make Two Changes for Top-of-Table Clash

With Tom Blundell and Hamish Bennett joining New Zealand A for their match against the West Indies, the Wellington Firebirds’ have made two changes for their match against Central Districts at Nelson’s Saxton Oval from Friday 24th to Monday 27th November.

The Wellington Firebirds squad is:

Michael Bracewell (Captain)
Fraser Colson

Lauchie Johns - potential First-Class debut

Iain McPeake

Travis Muller - potential Wellington debut

Stephen Murdoch

Ollie Newton

Jeetan Patel

Michael Papps

Matt Taylor

Logan van Beek

Luke Woodcock

The Round 5 match pits the competition’s two unbeaten sides against each other, after Wellington defeated Canterbury inside two days and Central Districts completed a thrilling last-day run-chase in the previous round. The Firebirds will have happy memories of Saxton Oval after a similarly thrilling run-chase in their last First-Class outing there, hitting 307 for 5 on Day 4 to beat Central Districts in October 2015.

After spending the Firebirds’ opening three home games in charge of the Basin Reserve scoreboard, Eastern Suburbs’ wicketkeeper/batsman, Lauchie Johns, finds himself on the other side of the boundary, in line for a First-Class debut.

Johns has come up through the development system within Wellington, playing in two national tournaments with each of the CricHQ Wellington U19 and CricHQ Wellington A sides.

With Hamish Bennett a late call-up to New Zealand A, the Firebirds have called in Taita fast bowler, Travis Muller. A former-South Africa U19 representative, Muller has 42 First-Class matches to his name with a bowling average of less than 24.

The match starts at 10.30am on Friday 24 November, livescoring is available via nzc.nz

ends

© Scoop Media