Cricket: Black Caps boost provincial teams

Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori has been handed an unexpected chance to test and hone his captaincy skills with Northern Districts for the rest of the one-day domestic season.

The cancellation of the Sri Lankan tour has allowed the New Zealand players to join their provincial teams for the remaining State Shield games.

Northern Districts coach Bruce Blair, aware as anyone of the tragedy in Southeast Asia and sympathetic towards the Sri Lankans and their decision to return home, is taking whatever positives he can from it.

He welcomes the unexpected bonus of having his internationals including Vettori who will lead the team with James Marshall as his deputy.

Vettori led New Zealand in recent one-day internationals in Bangladesh and tomorrow, weather permitting, will get the opportunity to captain Northern.

Blair, Vettori and the players from the Northern and Auckland teams spent yesterday doing anything but play cricket as rain washed away any hopes of play at Taupo's Owen Delany Park.

"We play most of our cricket without our New Zealand players so it is good to have them available for these games," said Blair. "It will mean some of the players we had originally selected for the Shield will now go to the national A tournament in Christchurch.

"I'm looking forward to working with Daniel [Vettori] and see his fresh ideas. I'm happy that we will be able to play with a full-strength side."

Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell, frustrated at the washout, said while the New Zealand players will strengthen his side, he is not shutting the door on players originally selected.

"Kyle Mills will be back for Saturday's game against Otago which means Keeley Todd and Gareth Shaw are likely to play in the A tournament," said O'Donnell. "But we always have to have players available in case of injuries or loss of form.

"It is good to see the best players playing in these matches. When I first went to South Africa they were in the international wilderness. All their best players were available and lifted the standard at whatever level they played."

* Rain won any arguments in domestic cricket yesterday, NZPA reported. All five men's and women's provincial one-day matches were abandoned.

Teams took two points apiece for non-results in the State Shield men's matches. Play began in just one game, between Otago and Wellington at Molyneux Park in Alexandra.

Wellington were left to rue the weather after they had reduced Otago to a vulnerable 127 for nine in 46.2 overs before the players were forced from the field.

Greg Todd scored 46 not out and Aaron Redmond 20, but none of the remaining Otago batsmen impressed against a tight Wellington bowling attack.

Elsewhere, the players did not even get on to the field as Canterbury's game against Central Districts in Nelson and Auckland's match against Northern Districts in Taupo were abandoned without a ball being bowled.

There were similar scenes of inactivity in Auckland and Palmerston North where the State League women's matches featuring Auckland against Wellington and Central Districts against Otago were washed out.