Cricket: Drum summoned to roll up at Eden Park today

Chris Drum will fly back from Christchurch this morning to join his Auckland cricket team-mates in today's clash with Otago at Eden Park.

Drum and the other members of the New Zealand cricket team who played yesterday's one-day international against India had initially been told he would not be able to play in today's Shell Cup round.

But Auckland coach David Trist spoke to New Zealand coach Steve Rixon, who agreed Drum should be cleared to play as he has had little recent cricket.

New Zealand Cricket chief Chris Doig gave the okay, so Drum will replace Jonathan Lintott in the Auckland team for the match, which starts at midday on the same pitch used for last Saturday's one-day international.

"I'm pleased Chris has been cleared to play," Trist said. "He needs the cricket. It is to New Zealand Cricket's credit they made the exception for him. It is also a fillip for our team."

Auckland have won two games in a row only once this season and know they must take the points today if they are to maintain their charge for a place in next week's semifinals.

Despite nursing thumb, groin and hamstring injuries, Auckland captain Blair Pocock will play, but might not open the batting.

Otago have brought the same 12 players to Auckland as those who lost narrowly to Northern Districts on Sunday.

Coach Warren Lees is hoping for something better from his team, who have not had much luck this season.

"We have won only one, but there could have been at least three more," he said.

"It is something we just have to keeping working at."

The leaders Northern Districts have taken the same 12 players in Dunedin to Nelson for their game against second-placed Central Districts.

Central have lost Rodney Brown (hamstring injury) but have retained the rest of the squad they had in New Plymouth on Sunday. In the other game, Wellington play Canterbury at the Basin Reserve.

Auckland's fightback from 26 for three to win last Sunday was an important reminder for a Central team still confident of securing a top-two finish.

Central's coach Dipak Patel said: "We're lying second at the moment and quite rightly so. I think we've played some good cricket and some indifferent stuff in between so I suppose, in hindsight, I'd hate to have been five from five.

"But we've got room for improvement and that's the attitude we're taking into each game."

Patel was happy with his team's batting, but conceded the bowling still needed some fine-tuning.

"There's just a couple of bowling combinations that we still need to work on, we've still got a problem in the first 15 [overs]. But again, we're halfway through sorting that out."