International cricket in Whangarei with Pakistan and NZ A

International cricket returns to Whangarei with the Pakistan team likely to be a tough proposition for a New Zealand A selection at Cobham Oval - if Northland all-rounder Tazz Satti's opinion is anything to go by.
Satti is sure that Pakistan will be trying their best to throw off their "tainted" international image with some good cricket on tour - and he should know - he has played first-class cricket in Pakistan and will be attached to the team as the Northland Cricket Liaison officer while they are based in Whangarei next week.
"They will be looking on the game as quite an important one because they are trying to get the combinations going within the side, because for the last 12 months there has been some enforced changes with the team - so they're sort of in a rebuilding phase at the moment."
Satti is looking forward to catching up with a few familiar faces in the team.
"I played state cricket in Pakistan for three years before I moved to New Zealand - but that was nearly 10 years ago, so I've only played cricket with some of the older guys," he said.
The 30-year-old Pakistani national moved to New Zealand three years ago and has immediately proved to be a great find for Northland and his club Kaipara Flats since arriving in the 2007-8 season.
He has since become a New Zealand citizen but he retains strong links with cricket in Pakistan through his family and friends.
"Yasir Arafat is a relative and a good friend of mine and he was in the Pakistan team last year and I've always remained in touch with him and a couple of other test players like Iftikar Anjun - who I used to open the bowling with at Islamabad (his Pakistan state side)," he said.
Pakistan came to New Zealand following their tour of South Africa, where their form was very promising in one of the toughest countries to tour.
They surprised many by drawing the two-match test series 0-0.
"They had a good recent series in South Africa - in the tests especially - so they're beginning to get there," Satti said.
They also pushed the Africans close in the ODI series - eventually losing 2-3 - and if the New Zealand public are expecting the Black Caps to flog a beaten team they might well be surprised.
True, they have been weakened severely. Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer have been suspended by the ICC and find out on January 6 whether they will be banned from cricket.
They are also without top players like former captain Danish Kaneria, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik, who have been excluded from the touring team by the Pakistani Cricket Board.
The team won't have as much time to really get a taste of Northland.
They leave Christchurch on December 30 and arrive on December 31. Some of the squad will be getting a break in Northland after completing the Twenty20 series but for most it will be straight into their final preparation for the test match series.
"Some of the (T20) team won't be needed for the test series and will go back to Pakistan, while others will be waiting for the 50-over matches to get under way," he said.
The match begins on Sunday at 10.30am at Cobham Oval with entry free.