Cricket: Aces playing safe after win breaks horror run

Gareth Hopkins returns to the Auckland side against Otago starting today. Photo / Dean Purcell

When you're at the bottom, there's only one direction to go, and Auckland have taken their first decisive steps.

The Aces' 10-wicket win over Wellington at the weekend, when the Plunket Shield resumed, was an encouraging start after a horror run pre-Christmas, which left the defending champions pointless and 16 points adrift on the table.

So it's no surprise there is just one change to the 12 for the game against Otago, starting in Dunedin today.

Captain Gareth Hopkins returns from his successful stint with the New Zealand Twenty20 squad, and Anaru Kitchen drops out.

The win against Wellington proved a batting bonanza, with centuries for test opener Tim McIntosh and stand-in captain Richard Jones, while Jeet Raval continued the strong start to his first-class career with a double of 96 and 61 not out.

From seven first-class games, the 21-year-old is averaging a fine 74.88.

The more optimistic among the Auckland squad might quietly be fingering their calculators.

Before the Wellington game, Jones suggested Auckland needed to take a positive philosophy into the remaining shield matches, and work their way as far up the ladder as possible.

With eight points for a win, including first innings points, Auckland could make up reasonable ground in the remaining four rounds.

Gareth Shaw's seven-wicket haul in his first game of the season helped Auckland's cause.

Otago are without ODI batsman Neil Broom, but former international Aaron Redmond's first game of the season, after a lengthy injury layoff, produced 136 against Central Districts last week. Leaders Northern Districts, having rattled up 726 in taking first innings points on a Rangiora road last week, remain unchanged for their game against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

Wellington have lost captain Matthew Bell with a groin injury.

In the other game, Central Districts host second-placed Canterbury at New Plymouth.

PLUNKET SHIELD: ROUND 7

OTAGO V AUCKLAND, DUNEDIN

Otago: Craig Cumming (c), Aaron Redmond, Leighton Morgan, Greg Todd, Shaun Hay, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Neil Wagner, Anthony Bullick, Mat Harvie, James McMillan, Nick Beard.

Auckland: Gareth Hopkins (c), Tim McIntosh, Jeet Raval, Richard Jones, Reece Young, Jimmy Neesham, Andrew de Boorder, Colin de Grandhomme, Lance Shaw, Gareth Shaw, Tarun Nethula, Michael Bates.

WELLINGTON V ND, WELLINGTON

Wellington: Jeetan Patel (c), Cam Merchant, Neal Parlane, Stephen Murdoch, Stewart Rhodes, Michael Pollard, Luke Woodcock, Chris Nevin/Joe Austin-Smellie, Andrew Lamb, Robbie Schaw, Malaesaili Tugaga, Michael Burns.

ND: James Marshall (c), BJ Watling, Michael Parlane, Kane Williamson, Hamish Marshall, Daniel Flynn, Peter McGlashan, Joey Yovich, Brent Arnel, Graeme Aldridge, Bruce Martin, Bradley Scott.

CD V CANTERBURY, NEW PLYMOUTH

CD: Jamie How (c), George Worker, Dean Robinson, Brad Patton, Mathew Sinclair, Tim Weston, Brendon Diamanti, Bevan Griggs, Ewen Thompson, Doug Bracewell, Seth Rance, Michael Mason.

Canterbury: (possible) Peter Fulton (c), Rob Nicol, Michael Papps, Johan Myburgh, Shanan Stewart, Dean Brownlie, Kruger van Wyk, Brandon Hiini, Jason Donnelly, Hamish Bennett, Chris Martin.

POINTS: ND 28, CANTERBURY 20, OTAGO 18, CD 18, WELLINGTON 16, AUCKLAND 8.

(all start 10.30am today)