Cricket: At least one fresh face to join Auckland lineup against ND

Brett Randell. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland will field at least one debutant when the Plunket Shield resumes today. The 12 for the fourth-round game against joint leaders Northern Districts include left-arm spinner Vishi Jeet and seamer Brett Randell.

Although Randell was 12th man for Auckland's last two shield games before Christmas, he's yet to make his first-class debut, as is the case for Jeet.

Regular skipper Rob Nicol remains on the injured list after hurting a foot during the Ford Trophy. Seamer Matt Quinn and legspinner Tarun Nethula are also nursing injuries.

Five days ago, Auckland were licking their wounds after being well beaten by Central Districts in the trophy final on the same ground.

But coach Matt Horne is confident there will be no hangover from that disappointment. "The guys have got their heads straight back into four-day cricket mode and that's the mindset we need to get into from ball one," he said.

The shield format means there are plenty of points on offer, with teams receiving bonus batting and bowling points in the first innings, depending on their performance.

In the other fourth-round games, Wellington host Canterbury and Otago meet CD at Queenstown.

Points after three rounds: ND and CD 40, Auckland 37, Canterbury and Wellington 25, Otago 24.

Auckland v Northern Districts
• Plunket Shield, third round
Colin Maiden Park, starts 10.30am today

• Auckland: Michael Bates (c), Jeet Raval, Anaru Kitchen, Robbie O'Donnell, Carl Cachopa, Colin Munro, Colin de Grandhomme, Brad Cachopa, Vishi Jeet, Donovan Grobbelaar, Brett Randell, Dean Bartlett.

• ND: Daniel Flynn (c), Anton Devcich, Dean Brownlie, Joe Carter, Daryl Mitchell, BJ Watling, Mitchell Santner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi, Anurag Verma, Graeme Aldridge, James Baker.