Cricket season may be over for most of New Zealand's non-international cricketers, but not for this year's Academy intake.

They are playing two assessment games this week, of two days each, and included among their number are last year's Academy players and TelstraClear Black Caps Mark Richardson, Chris Martin and Robbie Hart.

The first game started today while the second game starts on Thursday. Play on each day starts at 10am.

NZC's Academy director Dayle Hadlee said the two matches are used to set a benchmark for the new Academy members and to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

"We look on these two two-day games as 'proficiency' games.

"It gives the Academy staff an opportunity to assess the players under match conditions and will provide valuable information about the players' individual strengths and weaknesses which be explored further during the eight-month long Academy programme," he said.

This year's Academy intake is: Jesse Ryder, Jordan Sheed, Stuart Mills, Iain Robertson, Mark Gillespie, Gareth Shaw, James McMillan and Ian Sandbrook. However Sandbrook, the New Zealand Under-19 wicket-keeper this year, is unable to play after suffering a muscle pull playing soccer at the weekend.

Making up their side will be Richardson, Shanan Stewart, Andrew Ellis and Aaron Redmond.

The side playing them is: Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Luke Woodcock, Jonathan McNamee, Greg Todd, Warren McSkimming, Nathan McCullum, Taraia Robin, Richard Sherlock, Martin and Michael Bates. Sherlock and Ellis are on Lincoln scholarships.

"It is an added bonus for the Academy members to play alongside three international players.

"I am certain they will learn a great deal from observing how these vastly more experienced players approach match situations," Hadlee said.

The matches are an extra chance for match play for the Test players who are due to leave for Pakistan on April 23.

© CricInfo