Two new names in 13 man Aces squad

MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday, 30 October 2013

The Auckland Aces will potentially have two debutantes for their opening Plunket Shield game starting tomorrow against the Northern Knights in Hamilton.

Tipene Friday and Donovan Grobbelaar are the two new names in the 13 man squad. Friday moved up from Wellington in the off-season and Grobbelaar made a successful start to his Aces career last season but is yet to pull on the whites.

Aces coach Matt Horne is keeping it simple as he leads into his initial first class game as coach.

"We'll be looking to do the basics really well over the course of the four days, end of story. We're expecting a good wicket and know that the Knights will have a well-balanced side but it's more about us than anything else."

Horne is also feeling good about the Aces preparation.

"We've had a really good pre-season and a very productive camp in Mt Maunganui last week which I think has us in pretty good nick. The work load that the guys got through was particularly pleasing and hopefully that's got us well and truly ready for four day cricket."

A playing eleven will be chosen from the following players:

Dean Bartlett (Ellerslie)
Craig Cachopa (Takapuna)
Colin de Grandhomme (Howick Pakuranga)
Tipene Friday (Parnell)
Donovan Grobbelaar (Howick Pakuranga)
Gareth Hopkins (Captain) (Parnell)
Anaru Kitchen (Waitakere City)
Bruce Martin (Parnell)
Tim McIntosh (Parnell)
Jeet Raval (Suburbs New Lynn)
Bhupinder Singh (Papatoetoe)
Lockie Ferguson (Parnell)
Matt Quinn (Cornwall)

ENDS

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