While he will be available for Sunday's final against Auckland if the Stags beat Otago today in the play-off at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park, the side's former skipper already has his feet under the work desk this week.
In a double blow for the Stags, allrounder Kieran Noema-Barnett has also pulled out because of a recurrence of a foot injury, while regular 12th man Steve Smidt is also unavailable because of work.
The trio have been replaced by Taranaki captain Tom Bruce, provincial team-mate Mattie Thomas and Manawatu batsman Dave Meiring, who looks set to open in How's absence.
"I'm 100 per cent confident these guys can come in and perform," Stags captain Kruger van Wyk said after training yesterday.
"When you are young you are absolutely fearless and if you play in a final or the first game of the season, it's totally irrelevant to these guys. That's what is so refreshing and exciting about these guys coming in."
Bruce has been in superb form with the bat, both for Taranaki and Central Districts A.
He would likely come in at No 5 in the order, with Taranaki team-mates Dean Robinson and Will Young filling the immediate slots above him - something virtually unheard off in the province's cricketing history.
The late changes mean van Wyk and coach Heinrich Malan would be forced to "rejig" plans they have had in place through the competition.
"In a way it's hard but in a way it's really exciting," van Wyk said. "It tests your creativity a little bit and that's what you want in a team. We want to be a little bit unpredictable, a bit funky and creative where we can.
"We are lacking in a set structure because of injuries but hey, we just have to find a way and we will make it work."
