Cricket: Northern Districts destroyers out through injuries

At first glance, Northern Districts would seem to be running a tough school this summer.

They have jumped to an early lead in the Plunket Shield with emphatic wins over Otago, by 10 wickets, and Central Districts by nine.

However, the destroyers with the ball against CD, Graeme Aldridge and Trent Boult, are missing for the third round match against Wellington in Hamilton starting today.

Aldridge had match figures of 11 for 145, while left-armer Boult nabbed six for 56. But both have been left out due to what are called "slight injury concerns".

Gone too is Jono Boult, whose 76 at No8 in the order was important in the win over CD.

Nevertheless, ND have come up with more than adequate replacements for the new ball jobs in international Tim Southee and Brent Arnel.

The pair are back from playing for the New Zealand Invitation XI against Pakistan. Both are in good form, notably Arnel, whose first innings six for 18 decimated the Otago first innings for just 88 in the opening round, on the pitch next door to the strip to be used for the test against Pakistan in Dunedin today.

Wellington have international offspinner Jeetan Patel back and a new wicketkeeper, Joe Austin-Smellie, who is replacing regular gloveman Chris Nevin, whose wife is expecting twins.

Auckland need to get their campaign moving when they face Canterbury in Christchurch, after drawing with CD and losing to Wellington.

Regular skipper Gareth Hopkins returns after missing the last match but Reece Young will take on the wicketkeeping duties, in line with the thinking that, as the test backup to Brendon McCullum, he should have the gloves while New Zealand are playing test cricket.

Hopkins will get more time behind the stumps when the ODI programme is on, as that is where the New Zealand selectors see him, as reserve behind McCullum.

Auckland are without fast-medium Daryl Tuffey, who is with the national side, and test opener Martin Guptill. Left-armer Pieter Erasmus gets his first opportunity of the season, while Jeet Raval is the unlucky batsman to drop out, after hitting a gritty 69 against Wellington last week.

Canterbury have lost their new ball pair, Chris Martin and Shane Bond, to test duty, but welcome back the 40-year-old Chris Harris for his first game of the season, and tidy batsman Johan Myburgh after a hamstring injury.

Central Districts host Otago in a battle of two teams yet to find form this season.

Otago are without internationals Nathan McCullum and Aaron Redmond due to injury, and have lost left-armer Neil Wagner due to a back strain. ODI seamer Ian Butler returns, as does captain Craig Cumming.

CD are without test batsman Ross Taylor but have Mathew Sinclair, last season's Most Valuable Player award-winner of the domestic season, among the runs again.

PLUNKET SHIELD THIRD ROUND

All start 10.30am today

CANTERBURY v AUCKLAND Christchurch

Canterbury: (from) Kruger van Wyk (c), Michael Papps, Rob Nicol, Johan Myburgh, Todd Astle, Chris Harris, Corey Anderson, Andrew Ellis, Brandon Hiini, Leighton Burtt, Ryan McCone, Jason Donnelly.

Auckland: (from) Gareth Hopkins (c), Richard Jones, Anaru Kitchen, Ravi Bopara, Scott Styris, Reece Young, Andrew de Boorder, Lance Shaw, Michael Bates, Pieter Erasmus, Tarun Nethula, Bhupinder Singh.

NTHN DISTRICTS v WELLINGTON Hamilton

ND: James Marshall (c), Brad Wilson, Anton Devcich, BJ Watling, Michael Parlane, Kane Williamson, Peter McGlashan, Joey Yovich, Tim Southee, Bradley Scott, Brent Arnel.

Wellington: (from) Matthew Bell (c), Josh Brodie, Neal Parlane, Cam Merchant, Luke Woodcock, Harry Boam, DeWayne Bowden, Robbie Schaw, Andy McKay, Jeetan Patel, Nalaesaili Tugaga, Joe Austin-Smellie.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS v OTAGO Nelson

CD: (from) Jamie How (c), Peter Ingram, George Worker, Mathew Sinclair, Tim Weston, Brad Patton, Bevan Griggs, James de Terte, Michael Mason, Ewen Thompson, Jeremy Kuru, Seth Rance.

Otago: (from) Craig Cumming (c), Leighton Morgan, Neil Broom, Shaun Haig, Sam Wells, Derek de Boorder, Ian Butler, Mark Joyce, Nick Beard, Warren McSkimming, Mathew Harvie.

Points after two rounds: ND 16

Canterbury 10

Wellington 8

CD 2

Auckland, Otago 0