The Northern Knights are set to add a bolt of pace to their bowling attack regaining Bay of Plenty speedster Trent Boult for this week's Plunket Shield clash with the Canterbury Wizards.

Coming off a disappointing result in Napier, going down to the previously winless Central Stags, Boult is the one important change to the Knights side ahead of Thursday's match in Gisborne.

Trent Bolt in the field during one of the Knights HRV T20 matches at Bay Oval.

Boult is once again fit after a thigh strain ruled him out of the previous encounter, the same injury forcing him to miss the victorious HRV Twenty20 finals series. Seamer James Baker makes way as a result.

This will be Boult's only match before the first Test against India begins.

Knights coach James Pamment was philosophical after the loss in Napier where the Knights were inserted into bat for the fifth time in six matches.

The bowler-friendly conditions made batting difficult, but not impossible and as it turned out a few more runs than the 73 they set the Stags for the win may have been enough.

The Stags were teetering on the edge of a catastrophic defeat at 27/7 before some rear-guard action sneaked them over the line. Veteran Graeme Aldridge, 20/4, and Scott Kuggeleijn, 3/33, so nearly conjuring a remarkable victory.

But it is clear the Knights need more runs from their top order with experienced campaigners Daniel Flynn, Brad Wilson and BJ Watling needing to lead the charge and show the way to young up-and-comers Daryl Mitchell, Joe Carter and Bharat Popli.

The Harry Barker Reserve in Gisborne is notoriously batsman-friendly so this should provide a sound opportunity for the top six to rediscover their form.

With six rounds played this is a must win game for the Knights against the top of the table Wizards.

Although presently last on the table, they are only maximum points off second, but 31 points from the Wizard's top spot.

Teams can earn a maximum 20 points per match and defeat here and the Knights will be playing for positions only.

Knights squad members Jono Hickey, Anton Devcich, Jono Boult and Tim Seifert have all been selected to represent a NZ XI in their game v India in Whangarei on February 2 and 3.

Northern Knights squad for the Plunket Shield match against the Canterbury Wizards:

Daniel Flynn © - Bay of Plenty

Graeme Aldridge – Bay of Plenty

Trent Boult – Bay of Plenty

Joe Carter – Bay of Plenty

Scott Keuggeleijn – Hamilton

Daryl Mitchell – Hamilton

Bharat Popli – Bay of Plenty

Mitchell Santner – Hamilton

Ish Sodhi – Counties Manukau

Anurag Verma – Hamilton

BJ Watling – Hamilton

Brad Wilson – Northland