KEY POINTS:
Black Caps tour places could be up for grabs as two teams headed in different directions meet tomorrow at Eden Park's outer oval.
Auckland began the post-Christmas phase of the four-day championship with a handy lead at the top of the table but have bombed badly in their
past two outings as the loss of key senior players has bitten deep.
They will be desperate to halt their slide against a resurgent Canterbury, who have shaken off their indifferent early season form to surge to the top of the table with back-to-back victories over Central Districts. Canterbury head in to the match with a handy eight-point lead over Auckland. Wellington, despite their thrashing at the hands of Otago in the previous round, occupy the second final slot, two points behind Canterbury and six clear of Auckland.
Auckland have been heavily hit by the loss of key bowler Andre Adams and several other leading players but it is the top order batting that has dug their grave so often this season.
None of their regular top five is averaging over 30. Opener Tim McIntosh is the best with 270 runs at 27.
The other numbers make even uglier reading.
Martin Guptil (233 at 23), captain Richard Jones (177 at 17), Colin de Grandholme (147 at 16) and Rob Nicol (149 at 14) have all struggled.
There have been significant middle and lower order contributions from the likes of injured wicket keeper Reece Young and his replacement Gareth Hopkins - the lone bright spark with 99 and 52 in last week's defeat by Northern Districts - but regular rearguard actions are no recipe for sustained success.
Auckland simply haven't scored enough runs. The new ball has consistently swung at Eden Park this season. For the most part, Auckland's top order has failed miserably to deal with it.
If that continues tomorrow, Auckland's season will likely be as good as over. Boosted by the return of Black Caps discard Peter Fulton, Canterbury were relatively untroubled in dispatching CD by eight wickets in Christchurch last week. A week earlier, they successfully chased 344 for the loss of just one wicket to beat the same opponent in Napier.
Another discarded Black Cap, Michael Papps made 134 not out in an unbroken 268-run stand with JC Myberg (148).
With the Black Caps' openers struggling in Wellington, tomorrow's match looms as a big one for Papps as he looks to force his way into the reckoning for the forthcoming England tour.
The same can be said for Fulton and Hopkins, who should be the favourite to deputise for Brendon McCullum.