Cricket: Auckland have plenty of points to prove

Auckland has a new captain, international seamer Kyle Mills. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

If Auckland have one hope ahead of the start of the season's Plunket Shield competition it's that recent history doesn't repeat.

Last summer, Auckland lost three of their first five games outright, the other two on the first innings and were all but gone in terms of the prospect of defending their first-class title by halfway.

They finished second last in a campaign won deservedly by Northern Districts by 16 points from Canterbury.

There is a new captain, international seamer Kyle Mills, with regular leader Gareth Hopkins on test duty in India, and new faces in the 13 to play Canterbury in Christchurch starting today.

Allrounder Colin Munro, missing for two years, is in the squad, as are brothers Brad and Craig Cachopa, both eyeing a first-class debut.

Brad Cachopa is keeping wicket in Hopkins' absence, but elsewhere there are familiar faces, including a returning one, in overseas professional Andre Adams, who is with Auckland for the season, having helped Nottinghamshire to the English county title.

"We've had a good buildup and the guys I'm sure are itching to get out there after what's been an extensive pre-season," Auckland coach Paul Strang said.

"Hopefully they can put all that hard work to good use."

Mills will share the new ball with Daryl Tuffey, neither wanted on the New Zealand test leg of the India tour, therefore both with a point or two to make. Remarkably it will be Mills' first first-class game in 20 months.

They will have a familiar face opposing them, with former longtime Auckland player Reece Young making his debut for Canterbury today.

"It is going to be a little strange first up as the only time I have ever played against any of those boys is in club cricket," wicketkeeper-batsman Young said.

"I am really looking forward to the challenge."

Canterbury have also picked up fast bowler Richard Sherlock, back in red and black for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

Nine of Canterbury's XI, to be led by former international batsman Peter Fulton, have hit at least one first-class century.

Defending Plunket Shield champions the Northern Knights have named their side to begin their 2010-11 campaign, against the Otago Volts in Queenstown on Tuesday.

ND will start their defence against Otago in Queenstown without regular wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan, who is recovering from a broken finger. Owen Ivins gets his chance with the gloves in a side to be led by James Marshall.

ND hope to benefit from the return of veteran international Scott Styris from Auckland. Styris will be back for the second day's play, having been with the New Zealand side at the Hong Kong Sixes.

In the other opening-round fixture, Central Districts host Wellington in Napier.

PLUNKET SHIELD

First round, from 10:30am today

CANTERBURY V AUCKLAND, CHRISTCHURCH

Canterbury: Peter Fulton (c), Rob Nicol, Michael Papps, Shanan Stewart, Dean Brownlie, Reece Young, Andrew Ellis, Todd Astle, Brandon Hiini, Richard Sherlock, Ryan McCone, Tom Latham.
Auckland: (from) Kyle Mills (c), Jeet Raval, Anaru Kitchen, Andrew de Boorder, Greg Todd, Craig Cachopa, Brad Cachopa, Colin de Grandhomme, Colin Munro, Andre Adams, Daryl Tuffey, Bhupinder Singh, Michael Bates.

OTAGO V NORTHERN DISTRICTS, QUEENSTOWN

Otago: Craig Cumming (c), Aaron Redmond, Shaun Haig, Neil Broom, Darren Broom, Sam Wells, Derek de Boorder, Ian Butler, Mark Craig, Neil Wagner, Nick Beard, James McMillan (Nathan McCullum returns day two).
ND: James Marshall (c), Brad Wilson, Daniel Flynn, Michael Parlane, Anton Devcich, Scott Styris, Joseph Yovich, Owen Ivins, Jono Boult, Bradley Scott, Jono Boult, Graeme Aldridge.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS V WELLINGTON, NAPIER

CD: Jamie How (c), Peter Ingram, Brad Patton, Mathew Sinclair, Tim Weston, George Worker, Kruger van Wyk, Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler, Tarun Nethula, Michael Mason, Mitchell McClenaghan.