Central Districts’ Chapple Cup tournament will go ahead this weekend, but with a change of venue and format.
The traditional three-day tournament of one-day games was scheduled to start today in Palmerston North until Sunday, but the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle has prevented pitches and grounds in the city from being prepared.
The tournament will now be played as T20 games starting tomorrow in Levin. Seven teams will take to the field with the withdrawal of defending champions Hawke’s Bay because of the widespread cyclone damage in their region.
Wairarapa Cricket general manager Simon Roseingrave expected the new competition format would feature two pools, one of four teams and the other of three. The top teams from each pool, after the completion of three rounds, would then play off in the Chapple Cup final, and the second-placed sides would contest the Cave Cup final.
Post Office Hotel Wairarapa had been drawn to play Manawatu in the first round, but there is uncertainty if that will continue or if a new draw will be conducted.
Wairarapa coach Neil Perry has named a squad of 14 for the two days, including two loan players from Manawatu – off-spinner allrounder Bayley Latter and medium-pace bowler Parmveer Kharoud – to add depth to the inexperienced bowling attack.
“They are good quality cricketers who we can bring in for support, and our guys can learn from them, and we can be more competitive in that bowling department,” Perry said.
“We can play around them, and it gives us that little bit more flexibility.”
Perry also has an eye on the future with the naming of Robbie Anderson as captain and Gus Borren as vice-captain, with usual captain Jared van Deventer set to be unavailable for the 2023-24 season.
Anderson will skipper the side tomorrow, and Borren will
take the reins on Sunday.
Otherwise, the squad features most of the players who played during the Furlong Cup campaign, with some to play tomorrow and others on Sunday.
Perry is unsure what to expect with the change to T20s, as the team had not prepared for the shorter version, with no training on Tuesday or last night.
“It’s a bit of a challenge, but that’s just the way it is. Hopefully, we’ll get some cricket, and it’s an opportunity for people to showcase what they’ve got and show the great spirit we’ve shown all season,” he said.
Squad: Robbie Anderson [captain], Gus Borren [vice captain], Jake Jonas, Jared van Deventer, Mark Steventon, Nathan Elliott [wk], Jeremy Anderson, Quinn Childs, Ethan Childs, Jaco Vorster, Robbie Speers, Samuel Payne, Bayley Latter [loan], Parmveer Kharoud [loan].
