Bay of Plenty begins its third Hawke Cup challenge of the 2017 season at its 2017 fortress of Bay Oval.

After swatting aside Zone 1 challengers Counties Manukau and surviving an action-packed match against Zone 2's Hawke's Bay, tomorrow sees a second Central Districts region arrive to raid their trophy cabinet in the shape of Zone 3 regional winners Nelson.

Captained by Central Districts spinning allrounder Marty Kain, it's Nelson first challenge since 2012 and they will also have the services of six-smashing Central Stag Josh Clarkson, the big 2016 New Zealand Under-19s player with a dangerous strike rate in white ball cricket.

Twenty-year-old Clarkson, coming off a strong Ford Trophy season, will be looking to put his best red-ball foot forward to press for reselection in the Central Stags' Plunket Shield squad, having played two first-class matches for the Stags as a teenager in 2015.

Bay of Plenty batsmen Sean Davey and Alex Lees are each coming off back-to-back centuries in the defences so far this season, and their side's spin department has been reinforced by the return of Northern Districts' Jono Boult.

Bay of Plenty Coach Graeme Aldridge says Nelson will be tough.

'Obviously we don't know much about them. But we will just get ourselves into the game doing the basics well and then adjust as we go.”

Bay of Plenty Squad

Peter Drysdale (c), Tom MacRury, Joe Carter, Alex Lees, Ben Musgrave, Jono Boult, Sean Davey, Tim Clarke, Donovan Deeble, Tony Goodin, Chris Atkinson, Iman Singh.

Nelson Squad

Mason Thelin, Paddy Howes, Adam Leonard, Josh Clarkson, Willem Ludick, Marty Kain (c), Joe O'Connor, Nic Clark, Tom Zohrab, Felix Murray, Dylan Eginton, Sam Baxendine.

Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Record (1932 – 2017)

Played 30 Won 14 Lost 16