Cricket: Canterbury going for 'softly, softly' approach to final

Canterbury cricket coach Michael Sharpe has been advocating a "softly, softly" rather than a sledgehammer approach to the State Championship final against Wellington.

As top qualifier, Wellington need only to avoid outright defeat to clinch the title in the four-day match which starts at the Basin Reserve in the capital today.

Any time lost through wet weather counts against Canterbury, who must take 20 Wellington wickets.

But Sharpe and Canterbury captain Chris Harris will face the temptation to insert Wellington, whatever the pitch conditions, and unleash their four-pronged seam attack.

"Not if it's a good cricket wicket. It can also be good for us if they are out in the field for a day and a half, and then have to bat," said Sharpe.

"We have to be careful to do the little things right, to try and win the first session, then the first day. If you take care of the little things then the big things will happen."

Championship finals can resemble timeless test matches, as Canterbury proved seven years ago by scoring 777 runs over two days and playing Otago completely out of the game.

Harris, who made 198, Gary Stead and Warren Wisneski shared in that success.

But teammate Paul Wiseman is likely to retain even more vivid memories. He was Otago's best bowler, with four wickets for 172 runs.

"We don't want to do things differently to any other game we wanted to win outright," said Sharpe. "If conditions are right to bat you don't want to make it harder for yourself by bowling first."

Despite the recent deluges in Wellington, the home side will undoubtedly be expecting the best possible batting surface.

Wellington have named a squad of 13, recalling batsman Michael Parlane to increase coach Vaughn Johnson's options.

Wellington's specialist batting lineup has no stand-out performers. The regular top six have averaged between 24 and 34, with numbers seven (Chris Nevin, 68) and eight (Matthew Walker, 58) overshadowing them.

In contrast, Canterbury's heaviest scorers have been opener Michael Papps and No 3 Peter Fulton, with strongest support from all-rounders Harris and Wiseman.

Canterbury boast the more seasoned bowling battery in Chris Martin, Wisneski, Stephen Cunis, Wiseman and Harris, backed up by young Andrew Ellis.

Mark Gillespie and James Franklin have shouldered much of the Wellington bowling burden.

"In the last couple of games we were disappointing," said Sharpe of the defeat by Otago and first innings loss to Northern Districts.

He welcomed the injection of returning New Zealand players.

"They were there at the start of the campaign. Michael Papps was leading the way.

"It's really good to have Harry's [Harris'] experience, and Brendon McCullum has fitted into his first season for Canterbury really well."

Canterbury last won the championship in 1997-98; Wellington's most recent triumph was in 2000-01.

"It's been a long wait," said Sharpe.

- NZPA