KEY POINTS:
New faces abound as the first full round of the national championship kicks off today.
Auckland have a head start on the field, taking maximum points from their 73-run win over Canterbury last week - the game played early to allow for Auckland's match against the West Indies
at Eden Park early next month.
They meet Central Districts in Napier, minus wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins, who is heading for Brisbane as cover for Brendon McCullum ahead of this week's first test against Australia.
Reece Young, fresh from his maiden first-class 100 last week, takes the gloves, with Andrew de Boorder added to the 12.
CD have Doug Bracewell, son of former test bowler Brendon, in line for his first-class debut.
Former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford's son, Hamish, is expected to open the batting for Otago against Northern Districts in his first-class debut.
Like Bracewell, he was in the national under-19 squad at this year's World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Otago also introduce South African left arm new ball bowler Neil Wagner, and former New Zealand fast bowler Ian Butler, formerly from ND, makes his Otago debut against his old team at University Oval.
ND have former Otago bowler Bradley Scott in their line-up, promising 19-year-old paceman Trent Boult and Michael Parlane, who returns after several seasons in Wellington.
Wellington host Canterbury in a repeat of last season's final, won by Canterbury.
Wellington have New South Wales fast-medium bowler Andrew Lamb in their 12. The 30-year-old has settled in Hutt Valley and is in due to the absence of Mark Gillespie, Iain O'Brien and Grant Elliott on national team duty.
New Zealand Cricket has given permission for Lamb to be counted as a local given his intentions to settle long term in New Zealand. Essex allrounder Graham Napier fills the overseas place.
Former test allrounder James Franklin continues his return from a lengthy injury layoff, and will play as a specialist batsman.
Canterbury have a fitness doubt over gifted teenager Corey Anderson and have lost senior batsman Peter Fulton to the New Zealand test squad.
* The draw
State Championship, all start 10.30am
Central Districts v Auckland, Napier:
CD: Mathew Sinclair (c), Tim Weston, Peter Ingram, George Worker, Greg Hay, Bevan Griggs, Mitchell McClenaghan, Brad Patton, Richard Shaw, Ewen Thompson, Doug Bracewell, Brent Hefford.
Auckland: Richard Jones (c), Tim McIntosh, Reece Young, Scott Styris, Colin de Grandhomme, Steven Croft, Tarun Nethula, Andy McKay, Lance Shaw, Michael Bates, Azhar Abbas.
Otago v Northern Districts, Dunedin:
Otago: Craig Cumming (c), Hamish Rutherford, Greg Todd, Neil Broom, Shaun Haig, Nathan McCullum, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, James McMillan, Mat Harvey.
ND: James Marshall (c), BJ Watling, Michael Parlane, Cameron Merchant, Kane Williamson, Peter McGlashan, Joseph Yovich, Trent Boult, Bradley Scott, Brent Arnel, Graeme Aldridge, Bruce Martin.
Wellington v Canterbury, Wellington:
Wellington: Matthew Bell (c), Luke Woodcock, Neal Parlane, Chris Nevin, James Franklin, BJ Crook, Dewayne Bowden, Josh Brodie, Mark Houghton, Andrew Lamb, Graham Napier, Jeetan Patel.
Canterbury: Kruger van Wyk (c), Todd Astle, Michael Papps, Johan Myburgh, Shanan Stewart, Iain Robertson, Corey Anderson, Andrew Ellis, Brandon Hiini, Leighton Burtt, Michael Davidson, Hamish Bennett.
