New Zealand's minor associations' symbol of supremacy, the Hawke Cup, will be decided in a three-day final between Hamilton and Hawke's Bay starting on Saturday at Galloway Park in Hamilton.

The two teams have emerged from a series of play-off tournaments held in zones around the country among non-Metropolitan cricket associations.

Traditionally some of the tightest cricket played in the country, the Hawke Cup can be decided on the first innings and some of the highest scores in representative cricket in New Zealand have been scored in these contests.

Both teams are without leading players for the final, but are not without their own strengths.

Hamilton as a separate entity has never held the Cup, although when it was part of an all-encompassing Waikato side, Hamilton players were involved. And the last time Waikato won the Cup was in 1969.

Hawke's Bay last won the Cup in 1987 but it only had the Cup for three weeks, losing it to Bay of Plenty in the first challenge.

Last summer, Hawke's Bay had a forgettable challenge with Dunedin Metropolitan in Sunnyvale. Hawke's Bay were bowled out for 65 to which Dunedin replied with 83. In their second innings Hawke's Bay scored 91, but that left Dunedin only 75 to score to win, a feat they managed for the loss of five wickets.

Selector Harry Findlay is hoping for better this time around although he has had to make four changes to the side which qualified for the final by beating Bay of Plenty.

Opener David Kelly is in the Central Districts team which is travelling to Perth for the Champions Cup, and Sanjewa Silva may also be in that side depending on whether Jacob Oram is picked for the New Zealand Test team. That side is to be named on Friday, which has not helped the Hawke's Bay selection process.

Wicket-keeper Martyn Sigley has had to leave for England due to contractural commitments he has to a county side as its physiotherapist and Scott Findlay has stress problems in his back.

Two new players brought into the side are, Richard Lawrence and Anton Lucas.

Lawrence has been an opening bat for Hawke's Bay but who broke his hand earlier in the summer and wasn't able to force his way back into the side earlier while Lucas started the Bay season well and has produced some consistent scores since.

The Hawke's Bay team is: Craig Findlay (captain), Paul Whitaker, Richard Lawrence, Anton Lucas, Richard Kinnear, Jack Lusk, Peter McGlashan, Ben Absalom, Sanjewa Silva, Charles Fraser, Taraia Robin, Todd Astle.

Hamilton have named the same side as that which beat Canterbury Country two weeks ago in the semi-final.

It is: Grant Robinson, Mark Orchard, Brooke Hatwell, Chris Wood, David Holt, Adil Somani, Jaden Hatwell, Simon Andrews, Nathan Daley, Bruce Martin and Ben Winslade.

Not available for selection were Simon Doull and Mark Bailey.

However, selector Colin Stevens said that despite the average of the side, which is 22, he is expecting the players to have learned from the high pressure game against Canterbury Country where Hamilton got home by six runs on the first innings.

"That was a fine game that was played in a good spirit. It could have gone either way but we were helped by getting Brad Doody first ball.

"We were a lot more inexperienced that Canterbury Country," he said.

Weather conditions are expected to continue to be good in the Waikato for the match and the pitch at Galloway Park is expected to be in especially good order.

© CricInfo