Wellington Firebirds team to play Otago Volts

CRICKET WELLINGTON MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 7 December 2009

Wellington Firebirds team to play Otago Volts in first round One-Day match

The Wellington Firebirds team to play the Otago Volts in the first round of the 2009/10 domestic One -Day competition at the Events Centre in Queenstown on Tuesday 8 December is:

Matthew Bell (captain)
Dewayne Bowden
BJ Crook
Andy McKay
Cameron Merchant
Chris Nevin
Neal Parlane
Michael Pollard
Stewart Rhodes
Robbie Schaw
Malaesaili Tugaga
Luke Woodcock

If selected to play, up to six players from this squad of 12 will make their Wellington Firebirds One-Day debuts in this match. These players are: Cameron Merchant, Michael Pollard, Stewart Rhodes, Robbie Schaw, Malaesaili Tugaga and Andy McKay.

If selected, Michael Pollard will make his Wellington Firebirds debut. Pollard was with the team in Queenstown for the recent Plunket Shield match between these two teams but was not in the playing XI.

Chris Nevin re-joins the Firebirds team, after missing the last two Plunket Shield matches following the recent birth of his twins. [Correction: Please note that these twins haven’t been born yet, so he is currently still the father of two children (Harry and Charlie) with two more due.]

BJ Crook joins the side for the first time this season.

The Firebirds and the Volts will both be eager to make a winning start to the One-Day competition after missing out on the accolades last season. Both had four wins from 10 games, with the Volts (third) finishing ahead of the Firebirds (fifth) courtesy of extra bonus points.

The One-Day competition has been reduced from 10 rounds to eight this summer with five rounds scheduled to be played before New Year, then a break for the HRV Cup. Three rounds are then played in February, ahead of a Preliminary Finals series and final on Sunday 21 February.

Wellington v Otago – key One-Day information

Head to head:
Played 47, won 30, lost 13, tied 1, no result 3

First met:
8 December 1974, Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve, Win to Wellington by 8 runs.

2008/09 results:

2 January 2009 at Wellington, win to Otago by 7 wickets

25 January 2009 at Invercargill, win to Wellington by 1 wicket. James Franklin (87 not out off 92 balls) guided Wellington to victory by hitting the winning run off the last ball of the match.

Wellington v Otago one-day records:

Wellington highest total: 274, at Wellington 2000/01

Otago lowest total: 64, at Alexandra 1984/85

Wellington best batting: 124, Roger Twose, at Wellington 2000/01

Wellington best bowling: Ash Turner, 5 for 12, at Wellington 2002/03

ENDS

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