Cricket: Aucklanders look on bright side

By TERRY MADDAFORD AND NZPA

The points table suggests Auckland are the worst team in the one-day competition, but coach Tony Sail refuses to accept his side are the bunnies.

"We certainly don't feel like the worst team in the State Shield," said Sail, before today's match against Central Districts in New Plymouth.

"We have been in with a chance in every game. Not every team can say that, yet we have only four points from five games.

"Simply, we are not finishing the job off in some areas. That is costing us."

Though the Pukekura Park pitch has been covered as protection against the weather, Sail is confident it will play well.

Auckland have retained the squad who played Central at Eden Park in the previous round. Central won that game, chasing an adjusted target.

Sail will name his playing Xl this morning. Either Terry Crabb, Nick Horsley or Kyle Mills will be 12th man.

Pukekura Park was the venue for the first-round clash between Central and Canterbury, and local opinion suggested a score of 280 was possible.

But Central struggled to 213 for five in their 50 overs - a target Canterbury reached in 35 1/2 for the loss of the same number of wickets.

Otago coach Glenn Turner believes his team may have to endure more pain before gain if they are to become successful in the competition.

Otago play Canterbury in Oamaru today, and Turner is adamant his players have to push themselves beyond the comfort zone.

"My view is that you have to go all-out to win games," he said yesterday.

"You can't hope that by playing ordinarily, the opposition will play worse than you.

"Everyone still has to find where the line is, as far as the risk factor goes. You've got to take yourself to the line."



There was no point in Otago's playing the way they had in recent years, he said.

"We'll end up winning between one and three games a season and we've got to be better than that.

"We may suffer in the interim but, in the longer term, we believe it's the right way to go."

Otago will field an unchanged team in Oamaru, after captain Lee Germon was yesterday declared fit.

Canterbury coach Michael Sharpe said his team were "praying for fine weather" after the game against Wellington in Christchurch last weekend had to be abandoned.

"It's hard to get momentum going when games are rained out," he said.

The cloud lifted and the sun came out in Oamaru yesterday, and though there were squelchy areas on the wicket block, groundsman Russell Payne was confident there would be play today.

Teams:

Central (from): John Nelson, Jamie How, Mathew Sinclair, Richard King, Ben Smith, Bevan Griggs, Glen Sulzberger (capt), Campbell Furlong, Andrew Schwass, Michael Mason, Brent Hefford, Lance Hamilton.

Auckland (from): Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Aaron Barnes, Nick Horsley, Kyle Mills, Terry Crabb, Tama Canning, Brooke Walker (capt), Reece Young, Chris Drum, Mark Haslam, Guy Coleman.

Northern (from): James Marshall, Simon Doull, Matthew Hart or Grant Robinson, Mark Bailey, Hamish Marshall, Grant Bradburn, Jaden Hatwell, Robbie Hart (captain), Joseph Yovich, Daryl Tuffey, Graeme Aldridge, Ian Butler.

Wellington (from): Matthew Bell (capt), Chris Nevin, Richard Jones, David Sales, Matthew Walker, Mark Jefferson, Mayu Pasupati, Paul Hitchcock, Mark Gillespie, Andrew Penn, Jeetan Patel, Grant Donaldson.

Otago (from): Andrew Hore, Robbie Lawson, Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney, Craig Pryor, Martin Croy, Lee Germon (capt), Rob Smith, Kerry Walmsley, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, David Sewell.

Canterbury (from): Gary Stead (capt), Jarrod Englefield, Shannon Stewart, Stephen Cunis, Ryan Burson, Brad Doodey, Michael Papps, Darron Reekers, Paul Wiseman, Carl Anderson, Warren Wisneski, Chris Martin, Aaron Redmond.