The Auckland cricket coach Paul Strang says there's a silver lining for his side in the dropping of wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins from the New Zealand squad.
Hopkins was left out of the Blackcaps team's to face Pakistan in the upcoming 20/20, test and one day matches here, with Canterbury debutant Reece Young and Northern District's Peter McGlashan picked to back up Brendon McCullum behind the stumps.
Strang says the Aces are enjoying having their skipper back after the Blackcaps abysmal tour of India.