But at least Auckland can claim to be going into the 50-over competition in some reasonable form, sitting second on the Plunket Shield ladder, three points behind leaders Northern Districts after three of the 10 rounds.
"It hasn't been a perfect start to the season but we've put in some good performances and hung in there to get results, and that gives everyone in the side confidence and belief that we can win the close ones," Strang said.
Auckland have made three changes from the side which drew with Wellington in their four-dayer this week.
Bristling allrounder Colin Munro returns, as do batsman Anaru Kitchen and spinner Ronnie Hira, who swaps in a like-for-like with left arm twirler Bruce Martin. Andrew de Boorder and Jeet Raval also stand aside.
Question: how much will Auckland miss the extravagant talents of Lou Vincent this season?
Consider the former test batsman's contribution to the one-day competition last summer.
Vincent struck three centuries - 159 not out off 57 balls against Canterbury; 112 off 118 against Wellington; and, most tellingly, 153 from 152 balls in the final in Christchurch against Canterbury.
The overseas-based Vincent rattled up 642 runs at 71 - second by just six runs on aggregate behind Canterbury's Rob Nicol.
Tim McIntosh enjoyed himself too last summer, when he got the chance, scoring two centuries, the best a blazing 161 off 138 balls to smear Otago all around Colin Maiden Park in the semifinal.
He cast off the first-class shackles which have weighed him down and, in Vincent's absence, has the chance to become a central figure in Auckland's batting aspirations.
Andre Adams (16 wickets), Daryl Tuffey (15) and Michael Bates (10) formed one of the best fast-medium attacks in the competition.
Auckland won three of their first four games last season to get them moving. That ambition starts today.
The trophy is again contested over eight rounds, not the full double round robin. Auckland miss out on a second crack at Canterbury and Otago.
Five rounds are played until December 14, and it resumes on January 26, after the T20. There's semifinal spots for the top four, and a major semifinal before the final on February 12.
At Northern Districts, James Marshall takes over the captaincy for the campaign from Brad Wilson and his brother Hamish returns from Gloucestershire as an overseas import.
They also have medium pacer Bradley Scott and spinner Jason Donnelly coming into the 12 today; Wellington make one change from the Plunket Shield game this week, with Stewart Rhodes replacing Josh Brodie; while former Dutch international Peter Borren, now playing in Wairarapa, makes his debut for Central Districts.
TEAMS FOR ONE-DAY FIRST ROUND TODAY
Wellington v Auckland, Lincoln
Wellington: Grant Elliott (c), Stephen Murdoch, Michael Papps, James Franklin, Stewart Rhodes, Luke Woodcock, Joe Austin-Smellie, Harry Boam, Jeetan Patel, Leighton Burtt, Scott Kuggeleijn, Andy McKay.
Auckland: Gareth Hopkins (c), Tim McIntosh, Brad Cachopa, Neal Parlane, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Mills, Andre Adams, Ronnie Hira, Michael Bates, Bhupinder Singh.
Canterbury v Central Districts, Rangiora
Canterbury: Peter Fulton (c), Tom Latham, George Worker, Joel Abraham, Shanan Stewart, Henry Nicholls, Andrew Ellis, Todd Astle, Logan van Beek, Matt Henry, Ryan McCone, Willie Lonsdale.
CD: Jamie How (c), Peter Borren, Peter Ingram, Mathew Sinclair, Ben Smith, Carl Cachopa, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Kruger van Wyk, Tarun Nethula, Adam Milne, Ben Wheeler, Michael Mason.
Otago v Northern Districts, Dunedin
Otago: (from) Aaron Redmond (c), Craig Cumming, Mark Bracewell, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder, Jimmy Neesham, Sam Wells, Craig Smith, Nathan McCullum, Ian Butler, Nick Beard, Neil Wagner, James McMillan.
ND: James Marshall (c), Brad Wilson, Anton Devcich, Hamish Marshall, Corey Anderson, Joseph Yovich, Peter McGlashan, Jason Donnelly, Bradley Scott, James Baker, Brent Arnel, Graeme Aldridge.
