Cricket: Auckland to test out fresh talent

Auckland's Jeet Raval is seen as an emerging talent. Photo / Greg Bowker

Auckland have new faces in their squad for the penultimate round of the Plunket Shield, against Central Districts at Colin Maiden Park, starting today.

Sitting bottom of the table, and having lost test opener Tim McIntosh to the New Zealand side and legspinner Tarun Nethula with a wrist injury, Auckland have found space for offspinner Bhupinder Singh and fast-medium Richard Sherlock, who both made limited-overs appearances earlier in the summer, in a 13.

Fast-medium Dean Bartlett, who made his debut in the loss to Northern Districts in Whangarei last weekend, retains his place, as does promising batsman Dusan Hakaraia.

With nothing to play for other than pride, the younger players have the opportunity to show their capabilities, with next summer in mind.

Opener Jeet Raval showed his talents last summer with a thumping double century and has had a decent first-class campaign, with 457 runs at 50.77. He must be a candidate for any Emerging or New Zealand A assignments in the coming months.

"It's really important for our season that we maintain our focus right to the end," said coach Paul Strang.

CD will be led by batsman Tim Weston in the absence of Jamie How, who is expecting his first child shortly, and will also have James de Terte.

Mathew Sinclair rejoins the team after being released from the test 13 in Wellington. CD will be happy; his 643 runs at 58.45 have him third top runmaker in the competition.

They've lost their second-top wicket taker, Ewen Thompson, to a hamstring strain and Seth Rance to a side strain. But Adam Milne, a lively 17-year-old just out of Palmerston North Boys' High, has made a bright start with 11 wickets in his first two games.

A win will keep CD on the trail of leaders Northern Districts.

ND could wrap up the shield with an outright win over Otago at Cobham Oval in Whangarei. They hold an eight-point lead over CD and meet them in the final round in Napier.

Eight points from this penultimate game will make them uncatchable; first innings points, or an outright defeat, will leave the door ajar for CD, provided they clean up Auckland.

ND have lost seamer Brent Arnel to the New Zealand team.

Otago have ODI allrounder Nathan McCullum back, with left arm seamer Neil Wagner, over an injury.

In the other game, Canterbury host Wellington in Rangiora.

Wellington are missing captain Matthew Bell with a broken finger, and will be without international batsman Jesse Ryder after abdominal surgery.

Points after eight rounds: ND 44, CD 32, Canterbury 28, Otago 26, Wellington 18, Auckland 8.

Plunket Shield

Ninth round, all start 10.30am today

AUCKLAND V CENTRAL DISTRICTS, Colin Maiden Park

* Auckland: (from) Gareth Hopkins (c), Jeet Raval, Richard Jones, Reece Young, Anaru Kitchen, Colin de Grandhomme, Andrew de Boorder, Dusan Hakaraia, Gareth Shaw, Michael Bates, Dean Bartlett, Bhupinder Singh, Richard Sherlock.

* CD: Tim Weston (c), George Worker, Brad Patton, Mathew Sinclair, James de Terte, Brendon Diamanti, Bevan Griggs, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Jeremy Kuru, Michael Mason, Ben Wheeler.

NORTHERN DISTRICTS V OTAGO, Whangarei

* ND: James Marshall (c), Michael Parlane, Brad Wilson, Daniel Flynn, Hamish Marshall, Kane Williamson, Peter McGlashan, Joey Yovich, Bruce Martin, Trent Boult, Graeme Aldridge, Bradley Scott.

* Otago: Craig Cumming (c ), Nathan McCullum, Greg Todd, Neil Broom, Darren Broom, Derek de Boorder, Shaun Haig, James Fuller, Nick Beard, Anthony Bullick, Mathew Harvie, Neil Wagner

CANTERBURY V WELLINGTON, Rangiora

* Canterbury: Peter Fulton (c), Michael Papps, Rob Nicol, Shanan Stewart, Johan Myburgh, Dean Brownlie, Kruger van Wyk, Todd Astle, Ryan McCone, Brandon Hiini, Jason Donnelly, Hamish Bennett.

* Wellington: Neal Parlane (c), Cam Merchant, Stephen Murdoch, Stewart Rhodes, Michael Pollard, Joe Austin-Smellie, Chris Nevin, Luke Woodcock, James Franklin, Andrew Lamb, Robbie Schaw, Malaesaili Tugaga.