Cricket: Auckland lick wounds

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Auckland restart their four-day campaign today, less than a week after getting it horribly wrong in the domestic one-day final.

But they are determined to continue their charge as the early leaders.

Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell said it was time to refocus after the "disaster" of the State Shield.

He put his players through their second training session of the week yesterday in preparation for their State Championship match against Canterbury at Colin Maiden Park in Glen Innes.

"We stuffed it up against Northern Districts. I will be speaking to the players individually about what went wrong and look to turn it around."

Auckland's strength is at the top of the batting order. When that failed against a fired-up Northern attack, any game plan disappeared.

Mark Richardson, Matt Horne, Tim McIntosh, Llorne Howell and Rob Nicol are set to fill the top five spots today, so it is imperative they lay the foundation.

Canterbury, without their internationals, have brought a new-look side north.

Auckland go into the fifth round with 12 points, one ahead of Wellington who are one ahead of Central Districts.

Canterbury are in fourth place with seven, Otago are a point back and Northern are at the bottom of the table with just one point.

Northern arrived in Napier yesterday for their match against Central, determined to turn their four-day season around.

"There is a quiet air of expectation from the players," Northern coach Bruce Blair said. "We have not played all that well, but having said that, all our four games so far have been affected by the weather, which means we have lost at least a day's play in each."

Northern have 12 of the 13 players they had at North Harbour Stadium for the State Shield final. Only Matt Hart, who has a slight groin strain, is missing.

Otago, away to Wellington at the Basin Reserve, welcome Jeff Wilson back after he strained his calf muscle. Wilson played for Southland against North Otago last weekend, picking up four for 15 from nine overs in the first innings and a couple in the second in a match Southland won easily.

Otago coach Glenn Turner said: "If the State Shield is any guide, I think it will be very difficult to pick a winner of the championship.

"The standard of play New Zealand-wide was very poor. No side was consistent.

"The one-day competition was such that you could throw a blanket over the sides. For example, Northern Districts, the winners, had the same number of points as us going into the last round-robin game.

"If any of the sides are satisfied with the way they played in the State Shield, I don't think they're looking at themselves very closely."

Otago lost to Wellington in a one-dayer on their last appearance at the Basin Reserve, but Turner said the pitch was not as bad as the low scoring indicated.

Auckland v Canterbury (with points in brackets), at Colin Maiden Park, Glen Innes. -

Auckland (12): Brooke Walker (captain), Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning, Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Tim McIntosh, Rob Nicol, Brad Nielsen, Craig Pryor, Mark Richardson, Gareth Shaw, Reece Young.

Canterbury (7): Gary Stead (captain), Brendon Donkers, Andrew Ellis, Paul Franks, Robbie Frew, Peter Fulton, Gareth Hopkins, Chris Martin, Michael Papps, Aaron Redmond, Shanan Stewart, Paul Wiseman.

Central Districts v Northern Districts, McLean Park. -

Central Districts (10): Craig Spearman (captain), Peter Ingram, Jamie How, Glen Sulzberger, Greg Todd, Jesse Ryder, Bevan Griggs, Martyn Sigley, Andrew Schwass, Michael Mason, Brent Hefford, Lance Hamilton.

Northern Districts (1): Robbie Hart (captain), James Marshall, Nick Horsley, Hamish Marshall, Michael Parlane, Mark Orchard, David Kelly, Joseph Yovich, Bruce Martin, Gareth West, Graeme Aldridge, Ian Butler.

Wellington v Otago, Basin Reserve. -

Wellington (11): Matthew Bell (captain), Richard Jones, Neal Parlane, Luke Woodcock, Grant Donaldson, Leighton Morgan, Chris Nevin, Matthew Walker, Andrew Penn, Mark Gillespie, Jeetan Patel, James Franklin.

Otago (6): Craig Cumming (captain), Mohammad Wasim, Chris Gaffaney, Robbie Lawson, Jordan Sheed, Marcel McKenzie, Jeff Wilson, Peter McGlashan, Nathan Morland, Shayne O'Connor, Warren McSkimming, James McMillan.