Cricket: Confident coach picks Auckland for place in top three

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY and NZPA

Injuries and the loss of key players to the New Zealand team are not making life easy for Auckland coach Tony Sail.

But he is still confident his side will make the top three in the State Shield, despite their ranking of fifth after four of the 10 rounds.

Arron Barnes suffered back spasms and could not bowl in the third-round match against Otago, and Kyle Mills is recovering from the side strain that prevented his inclusion in the national side.

After practice yesterday, both were cleared to play against Central Districts at Eden Park today, although Mills is included only as a batsman.

Sail has included the Grafton medium-fast bowler Guy Coleman, and he is almost certain to play.

A win over Otago in the third round of the competition has been Auckland's only success, and they have four points in the competition. Final-over losses to Northern Districts and Canterbury preceded it and, in the fourth round, Wellington, the leading side with 18 points, pounded 300 from the Auckland attack at the Basin Reserve and held the visitors to 281 from 48.3 overs.

Dropped from the side who played Wellington is young Papatoetoe medium-fast bowler Gareth Shaw, who will play for his club today, as will top-order batsman Richard Pudney, who turns out for Grafton after suffering a broken hand before the start of the season.

"This week will tell the story," Sail said.

"We have to beat Central in this game and again at New Plymouth on Wednesday, and then Otago at home next Friday. We are more than capable of doing it."

Sail is also backing new Auckland skipper Brooke Walker.

But the bowlers have let Walker down and this has put him under severe pressure.

Central, at the bottom of the ladder with two points, have brought in the Blenheim opening batsman John Nelson to make his debut.

The match starts on the outer oval at 11 am.

* Risks are the last thing Northern Districts need to be taking, with their fragile batting lineup struggling for runs ahead of today's clash with Otago in Alexandra.

So it was hardly surprising that only batsman James Marshall was prepared to stick his neck out when the team stopped at a bungy jump in the deep south.

Captain Rob Hart was not as enthusiastic: "Not me, I'm a wuss," he said.

Northern are coming off two poor batting displays, although they got away with it in their latest match, and are second on the table, with three wins from four games.

After two successful innings of 250-plus in their opening rounds, Northern managed a miserable 127 in losing to Wellington by 79 runs, and then a shaky 121-8 to beat Canterbury in Whangarei on Wednesday.

A typically flamboyant 55 from former New Zealand allrounder Simon Doull got them home against Canterbury and they also picked up a bonus point for reaching their target in only 29.5 overs.

"The boys are buzzing after winning three out of four," Hart said.

"It was hard to score runs in Whangarei, but we're looking for the batters to make a bigger contribution."

Northern have an unchanged squad and will choose which of the bowlers will be 12th man after a game-day inspection of the Molyneux Park pitch.

Although Otago have only one win from four rounds, Hart said they would not be taken lightly.

"They have a batting lineup that we have the utmost respect for."

* The third match will be held in Christchurch, where third-placed Canterbury take on leaders Wellington.

Northern Districts: James Marshall, Simon Doull, Matthew Hart, Mark Bailey, Hamish Marshall, Grant Bradburn, Jaden Hatwell, Joseph Yovich, Robbie Hart (captain), Daryl Tuffey, Graeme Aldridge, Ian Butler (one to be omitted).

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

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

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

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