Cricket: NZ bowlers look to make impression

Doug Bracewell bowls for Central Districts at Nelson Park, Napier during the Plunket Shield match. Photo / NZME.

Doug Bracewell is on the rise, Neil Wagner will have a say too, while Tim Southee and Trent Boult return for Northern Districts as the country's leading seam bowlers today mentally mark out their runups ahead of the Sri Lankan test series.

Southee and Boult, the leaders of the New Zealand test attack, play their first Plunket Shield game of the season against Wellington at Seddon Park in what amounts to their only leadup for the test rubber starting in Christchurch on Boxing Day.

Otago left armer Wagner has been the third wheel of late, but wasn't required in the spin-friendly United Arab Emirates recently. Three seamers will certainly be needed on Boxing Day. Wagner took four wickets in the loss to ND in Dunedin in the previous round, but Bracewell has been the star turn thus far.

He has 17 wickets for Central Districts at just 14.47 runs apiece in two matches - nine for 125 against Canterbury last week - and looms as the major threat to leaders Auckland when they meet at Eden Park today.

These are the final games of first-class cricket until February 6, as the 50-over Ford Trophy takes precedence after Christmas. Those appeal as last chances for World Cup contenders, but test cricket is the focus, particularly for Wagner and Bracewell.

This will be Jamie How's last first-class games in Auckland, the long-serving CD batsman having announced his retirement.

Auckland are without Craig Cachopa, who has a shin injury, his place going to Robbie O'Donnell. They sit top of the ladder courtesy of a five-wicket win over ND and a low-scoring win over Wellington, Colin Munro's 59 the highest score in the match.

Seamers Michael Bates and Matt Quinn split 12 wickets in that game. Confidence is up too.

"We've made a great start but we want to make sure that we ... head into the break still on top of the table," Auckland coach Matt Horne said.

Brendon McCullum makes a rare domestic first-class appearance for Otago against Canterbury at Rangiora.

Points after two rounds: Auckland 33, CD 24, ND 24, Canterbury 21, Wellington 21, Otago 5.

What's happening
• Auckland look to cement their lead against second-placed Central Districts at Eden Park starting today.

• New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum makes a rare appearance for bottom side Otago against Canterbury at Rangiora.