KEY POINTS:
Auckland equalled their last season total of State Shield victories in one match and it was a familiar victim in Northern Districts. Auckland had won a grand total of two one-day matches in their previous two seasons, Northern being the only team to succumb last season.
Coach Mark
O'Donnell will be hoping yesterday's five-wicket victory - they passed Northern's 239-9 in the 48th over - is a signal for a limited overs transformation. If that is to be the case, they will be need more of the same from English import Mal Loye, who stole the show, and the game, on one good leg.
He hit a polished and at times brutal 90 off just 79 balls. The only real suspense was seeing whether Loye could complete a century before Auckland passed the total. Unfortunately, he chipped out to Mark Orchard off Bruce Martin with only 12 runs left to win.
It seemed like it was going to be a familiar story when the Auks began their chase.
Lou Vincent's season dragged agonisingly on for a further five balls, before he pushed with hard hands at a Graeme Aldridge delivery that ended in the hands of second slip Nick Horsley.
With Black Caps coach John Bracewell indicating that there will be mix-and-match teams selected from here on in to the World Cup, the talented opener will want some big runs fast.
Richard Jones and Paul Hitchcock put Auckland in the driver's seat with a partnership of 90 that owed as much to luck as good management. Jones was caught off a Daryl Tuffey no-ball when he had yet to score and was dropped, also on a duck, by Horsley.
Hitchcock has an approach of adventure and he benefited from balls dropping just short of fielders and the odd French cut.
The biggest piece of luck benefited Jones again, this time having an absolute sitter dropped at cover by Aldridge off Brent Arnel.
But the star of the show was Lancastrian Loye. Batting with a runner after aggravating a calf injury in the field, Loye immediately looked the most composed batsman on display.
His first boundary was a streaky bottom-edged cut that ended up bouncing over the keeper's head for four but after that he was in complete control, bringing up his half-century with a towering six over long-off.
He found a willing ally in the dependable Rob Nicol. They shared an 115-run partnership and Nicol ended up falling for 39 (off 74 balls) with nine runs needed. Northern's inadequate total was founded upon an 89-run third-wicket partnership between Hamish Marshall and Alun Evans.
Marshall celebrated his recall into the national side for the first two one-dayers against Sri Lanka with 59 at better than a run a ball. Evans top scored with a more sedate 70 off 96 deliveries. Northern's progress faltered through the middle stages of the innings but a handy unbeaten 10th-wicket partnership of 24 between Brent Arnel and Aldridge (21 not out) ensured Northern batted out their 50 overs.
Lance Shaw was the most productive bowler, with 3 for 45 off his 10 overs, and Roneel Hira impressed with 2 for 38 from 10.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY