Cricket: No rest for travel-weary Northern

The Northern Knights have no respite after their nail-biting loss to the Central Stags in the State Shield at Taupo.

Within minutes of the one-wicket loss at Owen Delany Park late on Saturday the squad were on their way to Hamilton before yesterday morning beginning the taxing journey to Timaru where they lock horns with co-leaders Canterbury at Aorangi Park today.

Central's win, in a weather-disrupted clash played in very murky conditions, maintained their unbeaten start to the season but ended in heartbreak for Northern who would have ended the round within a point of the lead if they had won.

Instead they must shrug off a difficult day travelling to do battle with a Canterbury side fresh from a 92-run win over Wellington, which earned them a bonus point.

Having spent yesterday in South Canterbury, the home side will be ready to continue their impressive record at Aorangi Park.

In 11 one-day matches in Timaru, Canterbury have won nine - three times scoring an imposing 300-plus runs.

Their 307 for three on Saturday followed 300 for three last season and 313 for seven against Northern Districts in 1995-96 - where Canterbury opener Blair Hartland scored a competition record 161.

Today's match will be played on the same pitch as used on Saturday as more than 500 runs were scored - a stark contrast to the game in Taupo where fewer than 200 were registered.

"It is a good wicket," said Canterbury coach Michael Sharpe yesterday. "We will probably go in with the same 11."

Former Aucklander Tim McIntosh and Andrew Ellis were left out of Canterbury's 13 for the game against Wellington and are likely to again be on the sideline.

Sharpe paid tribute to Craig McMillan, who has made the most of being handed the captaincy.

"He thrives on work and has done well," said Sharpe. "He is batting and bowling well and he took a brilliant catch to dismiss Stephen Fleming."

Northern have taken the same 12 south.

Mark Orchard missed the game in Taupo and might struggle to force his way in today although there must be some question marks over a couple of the Northern batsmen.

Llorne Howell is struggling at the top of the order and might be ready for a break. Only Daniel Vettori (19), Peter McGlashan (19 not out), Daryl Tuffey (a hard-hit 17) and Matt Hart (12) reached double figures in an innings which reached 36 for one but then lurched along.

Scott Styris was unlucky to be given out caught at the wicket off Ewen Thompson without scoring and will be looking for a better return as will his New Zealand team-mate Hamish Marshall who went to the same Bevan Griggs-Thompson combination also without scoring.

Andrew Schwass, the sixth bowler called on by Jacob Oram, ended any hopes Northern entertained of a lower-order fightback taking a career-best five for 22 as the home side slumped to 100 all out in 31.4 of their allotted 45, later 42, overs.

Chasing 98 after a revision under Duckworth-Lewis, Central were quickly in trouble losing Jamie How and Craig Spearman to loose shots as Tuffey and Ian Butler picked up wickets in their first overs.

At 47 for seven, Central should have been dead but Glen Sulzberger hung tough scoring 29 as he took the visitors within sight of victory which was eventually achieved by No 11 Lance Hamilton with 2.1 overs to spare.

Central are now in New Plymouth to play Otago at Pukekura Park today. The Central players left Taupo by bus at 9pm on Saturday and arrived in New Plymouth four hours later.

Otago coach Glenn Turner and his team, buoyed by their convincing 152-run victory over Auckland at Eden Park, will be looking for more of the same.

"If we have our A-game going we can beat anyone," said Turner. "I've seen us bowl better than we did against Auckland.

"Games here [Pukekura Park] are generally quite high-scoring; this one should be the same."

Turner said he was not concerned about the points situation.

"After four rounds last season we were leading. That did not help us in the end."

Auckland must pick themselves up quickly as they go up against a similarly-wounded Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

State Shield round four today

* Wellington Firebirds v Auckland Aces, Basin Reserve, Wellington, noon.

Wellington: Chris Nevin, Stephen Fleming, Jesse Ryder, Mathew Bell, Neal Parlane, Mark Gillespie, James Franklin, Luke Woodcock, Mayu Pasupati, Jeetan Patel, Graham Murray, Ashley Turner, Iain O'Brien.

Auckland: Richard Jones, Matt Horne, Lou Vincent, Aaron Barnes, Rob Nicol, Tama Canning, Kyle Mills, Paul Hitchcock, Andre Adams, Reece Young, Kerry Walmsley, Brooke Walker.

* Central Stags v Otago Volts, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, noon.

Central: Jamie How, Craig Spearman, Mathew Sinclair, Jarrod Englefield, Jacob Oram, Glen Sulzberger, Bevan Griggs, Andrew Schwass, Ewen Thomson, Brendon Diamanti, Michael Mason, Lance Hamilton.

Otago: Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney, Gareth Hopkins, Aaron Redmond, Muhammad Wasim, Andrew Hore, Greg Todd, Jeff Wilson, Nathan McCullum, Warren McSkimming, James McMillan, Bradley Scott.

* Canterbury v Northern Districts, Aorangi Park, Timaru, noon.

Canterbury: Michael Papps, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Peter Fulton, Tim McIntosh, Gary Stead, Paul Wiseman, Stephen Cunis, Hayden Shaw, Chris Martin, Andrew Ellis.

Northern Districts: Llorne Howell, Daniel Vettori, Matthew Hart, James Marshall, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Joseph Yovich, Peter McGlashan, Mark Orchard, Daryl Tuffey, Ian Butler, Graeme Aldridge.