Hawke Cup: The challenging cricketing resumption
“We try to avoid having games too close after the Christmas break because it is hard, but when you are playing at Hawke Cup level you’ve just got to do what you can to make sure you are ready to go."
A good dose of Christmas pudding and the aftermath of celebrating a new year isn’t the finest preparation for an important cricket game. However, for those attached to the Hawke Cup it is a reality.
Southland will resume its 2023-2024 southern zone Hawke Cup campaign this weekend when it makes the trip to Oamaru to take on North Otago in the two-day fixture.
It comes a month after Southland’s last outing against Mid Canterbury in Ashburton. For most, there has been little to no game time since that last assignment as cricket at club level has been halted during the holiday break.
Southland coach Jason Domigan concedes it provides a tricky situation.
“At this sort of level, a lot of responsibility goes on the players to make sure they themselves are ready to go. So, this will be a good test for a newer group about managing their preparation.
“We try to avoid having games too close after the Christmas break because it is hard, but when you are playing at the Hawke Cup level you’ve just got to do what you can to make sure you are ready to go.”
One player who will be ready to go is wicketkeeper-batsman Nick Brown.
Brown had a strong campaign with the Otago U19 team at the end of the year and has been named as a non-travelling reserve for the New Zealand team which is attending the U19 World Cup in South Africa this month.
Brown missed Southland’s opening two Hawke Cup fixtures because of those U19 commitments but Domigan was excited by his return this weekend in Oamaru.
Brown is set to open the batting for Southland and also take the gloves.
While Brown’s inclusion is a boost leg-spinner Jack Mockford is unavailable which is a blow.
Off-spinner Sam Nicholson and leg-spinner Ashleigh Harrison have been drafted in to fill the void.
Teenager Charlie Ottrey, who impressed with the bat for Southland before Christmas, is also unavailable for the trip to Oamaru.
“We’ve got a team full of all-rounders really. It does put a bit of onus on guys to step up with both bat and ball.
“Allrounders can sometimes think they get two bites of the cherry, but we need guys to step up in both, particularly with the bat.”
On the back of two first innings losses, Southland is probably out of contention to win the southern zone and gain a Hawke Cup challenge.
However, Domigan said the showdown with North Otago was still important in terms of building some confidence within what is a reality new group this season.
“We’ve had two results go against us and we need to get back and getting a win with this new group is pretty important,” Domigan said.
“There have been some good individual performances so far, but it doesn’t sit as well as having a W in the column as well.”
Following the trip to Oamaru this weekend Southland will round out its Hawke Cup campaign at home against South Canterbury on January 27 and 28.
Meanwhile, club cricket will also return in Southland this weekend following the Christmas-New Year break.
In the ILT Premier League Invercargill-Old Boys will host Marist at Queens Park, while top-of-the-table Appleby will make the trip to take on Waikoikoi.
The Division One and Division Two competitions will resume on January 20.