Antlers clash as Stags game looms

What organisers planned to be a festival-type cricket game has turned into a grudge match as the Stags rugby players and management prepare to take on each other in a twenty20 cricket game tomorrow night.

The squad has been split into two teams, one to be captained by Jamie Mackintosh, the other by Matt Saunders.

The competitive nature of the Ranfurly Shield-winning rugby team has already taken its toll in the lead-up to the game, with plenty of banter being exchanged, most notably between the two captains, Mackintosh and Saunders.

Members of Mackintosh's team, Sonny Rangitoheriri, Brayden Mitchell, Robbie Robinson and John Hardie, have been spotted at the Queens Park indoor training centre this week brushing up their cricket skills in the lead-up to tomorrow night's game.

Plenty of the Stags have previously played cricket, including coach Simon Culhane who represented Southland at Hawke Cup level.

Robbie Robinson was also an accomplished age-group cricketer, while Kendrick Lynn, Jason Rutledge, Brayden Mitchell and physio Adam Letts have all had a taste of senior club cricket in recent years.

The game has been jointly organised by the Stags players and management and the Southland Cricket Association.

The Stags had shown an interest in having a crack at a cricket game as something different, while the SCA board thought that it would be a good way to promote their sport.

The Jamie Mackintosh XI versus Matt Saunders XI fixture is expected to start about 5pm tomorrow night.

The Stags game will start at the completion of the Otago-Auckland women's twenty20 game, which is scheduled to begin at 2pm tomorrow afternoon.

SCA officials are hoping plenty of people will come along to watch both the women's game and the Stags twenty20 game. There will be no charge for spectators.

THE TEAMS

Jamie Mackintosh XI: Jamie Mackintosh (c), Brayden Mitchell, Robbie Robinson, John Hardie, Nic Barrett, Jason Rutledge, Sonny Rangitoheriri, Peter Finlayson, Daryl Thompson, Kendrick Lynn, Leicester Rutledge.

Matt Saunders XI: Matt Saunders (c), Pehi Te Whare, Simon Culhane, Adam Letts, Micheal Peterson, Josh Bekhuis, Dion Bates, Fai Mika, Craig Morton, Kelly Hansen (one still to be named).

- © Fairfax NZ News