Build-up begins for State Wellington Firebirds

State Wellington Firebirds coach Vaughn Johnson and selector Greg Hooper have announced the following team to play Central Districts in a warm-up match in Wanganui on November 20-21.

Missing from the team are Stephen Fleming, Chris Nevin and Paul Hitchcock who are participating in a Telstraclear Black Caps training camp at Lincoln. Additionally Matthew Walker was not considered for selection due to injury.

The team is:

Matthew Bell (captain)
Luke Woodcock
Richard Jones
Leighton Morgan
Grant Donaldson
James Franklin
Mark Gillespie
Andrew Penn
Iain O'Brien
Jeetan Patel
Glynn Howell
Jonathan McNamee

Teams have also been named to play in the traditional Wellington v Hutt Valley match scheduled for November 24-25 at the Hutt Recreation Ground in Lower Hutt.

The selectors will be using this as another opportunity to look at players prior to selecting the Firebirds squad that will take on the State Central Stags in the first round of the State Championship beginning November 29 at the Basin Reserve.

WELLINGTON XI:

Stephen Fleming (captain)
Sam Fairley
Luke Woodcock
Neal Parlane
James Franklin
Stu Mills
Paul Hitchcock
Mark Gillespie
Andrew Penn
Jeetan Patel
Mayu Pasupati
Mark Tulloch

HUTT VALLEY XI:

Matthew Bell (captain)
Grant Donaldson
Chris Nevin
Jonathan McNamee
Matthew Walker
Richard Jones
Mark Jefferson
Glynn Howell
Quinton de Bruin
Iain O'Brien
Ash Turner
Leighton Morgan