Cover Called In For Crunch Yahoo!Xtra Knights Playoff

The Yahoo!Xtra Northern Knights selectors have named squad of 13 for Sunday’s must-win national one day semi-final playoff in Queenstown.

The travelling team includes an extra batsman, with Brook Hatwell returning as cover for in-form opening batsman BJ Watling, who is carrying a back strain after Wednesday's match against the Central Stags in Whangarei, in which he carried his bat and scored an unbeaten century.

In a further change, left-arm medium pacer Bradley Scott has been omitted, while batsman Michael Parlane also travels with the squad that arrived in Queenstown this morning for the 3v4 playoff.

With no reserve days scheduled by New Zealand Cricket for the playoff matches, in the event of a washout or abandonment, the Otago Volts will go through automatically as the higher qualifier. The Northern Knights are therefore hoping the forecast rain will not stymie their chances of defending their third national one-day title in three years.

On Twitter? Follow game day progress at http://twitter.com/#!/MargotButcher

Match preview: http://northernknights.yahooxtra.co.nz/blogs/the-pink-report/entries/a-quest-in-queenstown

The Yahoo!Xtra Northern Knights squad is:

James Marshall, Northland
Graeme Aldridge, BOP
Brent Arnel, Counties Manukau
Trent Boult, BOP
Anton Devcich, Hamilton
Jason Donnelly, BOP
Daniel Flynn, BOP
Brook Hatwell, Hamilton
Peter McGlashan, Counties Manukau
Michael Parlane, Northland
BJ Watling, Hamilton
Brad Wilson, Northland
Joseph Yovich, Northland