By TERRY MADDAFORD
Defending champions Auckland face a tough first-up championship match in Gisborne next week against a Northern Districts side who will have their full complement of seven internationals available.
Both teams will have their test players on hand for this and their following matches.
Should all present or former Black Caps
be selected, 13 New Zealand players will be in action from next Friday at Harry Barker Reserve for the four-day State-sponsored game..
After standing Daryl Tuffey and Ian Butler down for this week's two-day warm-up against Auckland at Eden Park, the Northern selectors have restored the pair for the game in Gisborne.
With other fast/medium-pace options in Graeme Aldridge, Joseph Yovich and Scott Styris, the final selection will leave one of this quintet on the sideline.
Even without now-retired Mark Bailey, Grant Bradburn and Simon Doull (all internationals), Northern will still put out a team which - on paper at least - should be among the strongest around.
But with their comfortable win at Eden Park, Auckland have shown they will be no pushover.
With test candidates Mark Richardson, Matt Horne and Lou Vincent at the top of their order and with big-hitters Tama Canning, Kyle Mills and Andre Adams lower down, Auckland should score heavily at a ground which has produced some big innings in the past couple of seasons.
The Auckland selectors have named 14 players for their season-opener. That will be trimmed to 12 on Monday.
Northern Districts: Rob Hart (capt), James Marshall, Nick Horsley, Michael Parlane, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Matthew Hart, Joseph Yovich, Daniel Vettori, Graeme Aldridge, Daryl Tuffey, Ian Butler.
Auckland: Brooke Walker (capt), Mark Richardson, Matt Horne, Lou Vincent, Tim McIntosh, Rob Nicol, Kyle Mills, Tama Canning, Craig Pryor, Andre Adams, Gareth Shaw, Reece Young, Robert Lynch, Richard Morgan (two to be omitted).
