Central Districts will once again be competing to win all three domestic cricket competitions this summer as they continue to sprinkle intriguing talent on strong foundations. CD finished first in Ford Trophy before losing the final to Auckland, also finishing fourth in Super Smash and Plunket Shield. One win from seven PS games seems niggly but like a few teams last summer, CD leaned on a large pool of players and more games with their best players on the field should boost their campaign.

The core of CD's squad are experienced on the domestic circuit and have worked their way to the fringe of regular Blackcaps selection. Will Young, Ajaz Patel and Blair Tickner all have Blackcaps contracts and this lays out the CD vibe nicely. Young is a 1st 11 Test batter who is hunting game time in the other formats, Patel is the best red-ball spinner in Aotearoa but isn't selected consistently and Tickner is working his way up the Blackcaps seaming depth chart.

Those three could be playing lots of Blackcaps cricket this summer or their fringe status could lead to more availability for CD. Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Seth Rance and Doug Bracewell are examples of this within CD's contracted player list. Bruce and Cleaver have recently bounced closer to Blackcaps fringes, Rance and Bracewell have dipped out of that mix but are a dominant season away from reclaiming their Blackcaps fringe status.

Bruce was a PS monster last season with 858 runs @ 143avg (2 x 100, 4 x 50), while solid in the shorter formats. This saw Bruce selected in the recent Aotearoa 'A' tour of India where he scored 32 runs @ 16avg in two four-dayers and 20 runs @ 6.66avg in three one-dayers. That's the challenge of touring India and Bruce will be eager to keep building on his impressive mahi last summer.

Cleaver also received a Blackcaps bump this year and while he was decent in PS (393 runs @ 39.30avg), Cleaver's SS campaign saw him clinch Blackcaps selection. Cleaver scored 369 runs @ 46.12avg/166sr in the SS and along with one ODI, Cleaver played seven T20Is against Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands.

Josh Clarkson is growing into this group of grizzly CD troopers and on top of his low key immense slugging potential (149sr in T20s), Clarkson played three PS games and his development should lead to more opportunities this summer. Ben Smith is a reliable batting option and Jayden Lennox sits behind Patel in the CD spin rankings, while Greg Hay averages 40+ nearly every season of PS.

Hay also played seven SS games (234 runs @ 33.42avg/121sr) and despite making his First Class debut in 2006, Hay has only played in five seasons of SS. Last summer was Hay's first taste of SS since 2014/15 which may not lead to anything this season, although it does highlight a thread of development in CD's squad - even for veterans like Hay.

Brad Schmulian is the funkiest CD batter and has been for a few seasons now. Schmulian might emulate Hay and get his first dose of SS cricket this summer, otherwise he will continue to churn out PS runs. Schmulian scored 541 runs @ 41.61 (1 x 100, 3 x 50) last season and he has quietly stacked up five consecutive campaigns averaging over 30 with at least one 50+ score. Schmulian averages 39.43 in FC cricket and he has a century in three of his five seasons with CD.

Joining Rance and Bracewell in the seam department is Brett Randell who shifts down from Northern Districts. Randell finished as the best bowler in PS last season, taking 31w @ 14.83avg and this was his first season averaging below 29. Randell struggled for game time in FT and his 1w @ 69avg was the first time Randell went above 29avg, only his second List-A season averaging over 24.

Randell swapped excellence in FT for PS dominance and didn't get a crack in SS. Now Randell joins CD where he could play all three formats and he will be competing with Joey Field, Ray Toole and Liam Dudding for those opportunities. Field and Toole have played a few summers, while Dudding gets his first contract and the all-round talents of Bracewell should open up space in the seam department.

Bayley Wiggins is again a young batter to track and he will need to contribute with runs to maintain selection in all three formats. Wigging hit a PS century last season and had strike-rates over 120 in both limited overs formats, which would be especially fun if Wiggins and Clarkson build a middle-order combo.

Ma'ara Ave and Curtis Heaphy round out the youngster bracket in CD's squad. This swings back around to how some of CD's fringe Blackcaps perform as the younger lads will be called upon to plug those holes. Otherwise they may not get too many opportunities in a CD group that has the experience and ability to contend in all three competitions.

Otago

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