Auckland sign Meaker for Plunket Shield

Media Release

Friday 23 February 2018

Auckland sign Meaker for Plunket Shield

The Auckland Aces will have an international flavour to their Plunket Shield side for the back end of the season with Surrey fast bowler Stuart Meaker joining the side.

Meaker is the second Surrey player to sign for Auckland this summer, after all-rounder Sam Curran represented the Aces in the Burger King Super Smash.

Auckland are currently third in the Plunket Shield competition, having won three and lost two of their five matches to date.

The Plunket Shield restarts on Thursday March 1 with Auckland hosting Northern Districts at Eden Park Outer Oval.

Meaker will be with the Auckland side until their penultimate fixture against Otago in Dunedin from March 25th to March 28th.

He will then return to England in time for the start of the Specsavers County Championship.

Stuart Meaker said: “I’m really looking forward to joining up with the team out in Auckland. I’ve heard great things about what they’re looking to achieve as a Club, and I’m excited to see how I can contribute to their already brilliant season so far.”

Surrey CCC Director of Cricket, Alec Stewart, said: “This is a good opportunity for Meaks to go abroad to a quality side and gain experience of top level cricket ahead of the English summer.

“I hope he contributes positively to the end of Auckland’s season and arrives back in good form for the start of the County Championship.”

Aces Coach Mark O’Donnell said: “We are really looking forward to having Stuart join the group. With the loss of Mitchell McClenaghan to white ball cricket and Lockie Ferguson playing more and more for the BLACKCAPS, having an experienced First-Class bowler with a point of difference is great.

“He will also aid in the development of our bowling group, in particular youngsters Ben Lister, Jamie Brown, Raja Sandhu and Danru Ferns.”

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