The Wellington Firebirds are in Auckland this weekend playing their round six Plunket Shield against the home side at Colin Maiden Park, which starts on Friday morning.

A buoyant Firebirds side fresh from beating the Canterbury Wizards in Rangiora will meet the Auckland Aces side who are also coming off a win in the last round.

Mark Gillespie and Harry Boam (with the ball) and Josh Brodie and Jesse Ryder (with the bat) were the individual stars for the Firebirds in their 5-wicket win over the Wizards that saw them chase down 278 to win the match after they trailed by 133 runs at the end of the first innings. Gillespie and Boam both had career best 6-wicket hauls, Ryder smoked back-to-back half centuries and Brodie anchored the second innings run chase, scoring 116 to go with his even 50 in his first turn at bat.

The Aces beat the Otago Volts by 4 wickets in their corresponding fifth round match in Dunedin, batsman Colin Munro scoring his maiden first-class century and left arm paceman Mitchell McClenaghan taking 8 wickets in the match.

At the halfway stage of the Plunket Shield, the Firebirds are in third, just behind second placed Auckland.

The Plunket Shield points table after five rounds is:

Northern Knights 64, Auckland Aces 50, Wellington Firebirds 45, Central Stags 34, Otago Volts 29, Canterbury Wizards 27.

There are three changes to the Firebirds squad to meet the Aces from that which played the Wizards. Jesse Ryder and Andy McKay have both been called up to the BLACKCAPS One Day International squad to play South Africa and Stephen Murdoch is unavailable for this game for family reasons.

They are replaced by Craig Cachopa, Ronald Karaitiana and Michael Pollard. If selected in the playing XI both Cachopa and Karaitiana will make their Plunket Shield debuts for Wellington.

 

The Firebirds team to play the Aces is:

Grant Elliott (Captain, Naenae Old Boys)

Harry Boam (Karori)

Josh Brodie (Eastern Suburbs)

Craig Cachopa (Karori)

Mark Gillespie (North City)

Ronald Karaitiana (Naenae Old Boys)

Scott Kuggeleijn (Wellington Collegians)

Andrew Lamb (Onslow)

Michael Papps (Wellington Collegians)

Jeetan Patel (Eastern Suburbs)

Michael Pollard (North City)

Luke Woodcock (Johnsonville)

 

Match Information:

What : Wellington Firebirds v Auckland Aces, Plunket Shield Round six of 10

Where : Colin Maiden Park, Auckland

When : Friday 24 – Monday 27 February

Match details : Start times 10.30am, live scoring on www.firebirds.co.nz