KEY POINTS:
Panic? Perish the thought, despite Auckland sitting on a 0-from-2 record after two rounds of the national one-day championship.
That's the word from Auckland's coach Mark O'Donnell after Canterbury beat them by three wickets at Eden Park on Saturday.
Auckland's 226 for eight proved inadequate as Canterbury got
to 229 for seven with eight balls to spare, having needed 30 off the last five.
Peter Fulton's 60 was Canterbury's key innings - he was dropped on 46 - and captain Kruger van Wyk and allrounder Brandon Hiini finished the job with an eighth-wicket stand of 25 at the death.
Last season, Auckland's management of the opening 15 overs was an important part in them reaching the State Shield final.
In the opening-round loss to Central Districts, they were 62 for four inside the first 13 overs. On Saturday they were six for two, then 29 for three and it was uphill from there.
Former test speedster Shane Bond proved his immense value with a sizzling start, removing captain Richard Jones for 0 and Martin Guptill soon after.
Only debutant Anaru Kitchen, with 69, and Reece Young, 43, who shared a 107-run fourth wicket stand made much progress. There was a handy 38 further down from allrounder Colin de Grandhomme, which he backed up with an impressive three for 38.
"Bond bowling well up front didn't help. It's a pity he can't play for New Zealand," O'Donnell said, with a bucketful of understatement.
But he's not getting wound up about Auckland's sluggish start.
"It's not ideal. But it's one of those things. There's plenty of cricket left."
Among the big talking points around the Auckland squad is how much of those remaining 10 rounds test opener Tim McIntosh might play.
He's been unwanted by Auckland for the last two shield campaigns, being viewed as more a test batsman than a dasher suited to the one-day game.
But O'Donnell confirmed he's in the mix after New Year.
O'Donnell had a chat with national selector Dion Nash during the match, and no prizes for guessing one of the topics discussed. O'Donnell knows the New Zealand panel's thinking.
"They would like him to get some cricket but they understand he hasn't been part of our one-day plans for a couple of years," O'Donnell said.
He wondered whether McIntosh's best spot in the one-day side was opening, given the early emphasis on power plays, which can favour batsmen with some punch in their strokeplay.
Others in the frame if things don't come right at the top of the order are promising lefthander Jeet Raval or a promotion for the highly capable Reece Young.
Former test fast bowler Daryl Tuffey will have a workout today to assess his damaged hand before the squad to travel to Wellington for tomorrow's third round game is announced.
If fit, he will be in a likely 12. Captain Richard Jones' is due to become a father shortly and the spare player might be a batting cover rather than a bowling alternative.
In the other second round games, Northern Districts thumped defending one-day champions Otago by nine wickets at Alexandra, and Central Districts cleaned out Wellington by 82 runs at Nelson.
Chasing a meagre 167, ND opener BJ Watling hit 83 not out and Michael Parlane an unbeaten 65 as they reached 171 for one, sharing a 169-run stand and winning with more than 15 overs to spare. Up-and-coming left arm new ball bowler Trent Boult got rid of Aaron Redmond and Greg Todd in the opening minutes, finishing with a fine two for 10 off eight overs to set up ND's day.
In Nelson, Mathew Sinclair's remarkable summer continued with
92 as Central Districts went top of
the table with an 82-run win over
Wellington.
CD hit 285 for eight, Sinclair's 113-ball innings a continuation of a summer to savour. Opener Peter Ingram cracked 67 before they bowled Wellington out in 43.2 overs.
In tomorrow's other third round games, Canterbury host ND at Rangiora and Otago play CD in Alexandra.
Points: CD 10, Canterbury 6, ND 5, Wellington 4, Otago 2, Auckland 0.
