Cricket: Auckland setting sights on finishing in the top two spots

Auckland will be keen to beat Wellington in the capital today for more than the usual reasons.

First the good news; Auckland will be in the domestic 50-over playoff mix.

The final round of Ford Trophy games are on today and Auckland can finish no lower than fourth, with Central Districts and Otago out of contention for the top four spots.

However, Auckland will be keen to beat Wellington in the capital today for more than the usual reasons.

Win, and get the right result out of the top of the table clash between Northern Districts and Canterbury in Christchurch - that is an ND win - and they could sneak into second.

That would give them two bites, first the 1 v 2 semifinal then, if they lost, a second crack at the winner of the 3 v 4 clash.

If ND win today, they will host the final on April 5 provided they win their semifinal.

Auckland's 73-run win over Otago at Eden Park last weekend, and Wellington's seven-wicket win over CD on the same day, combined to shut the door on the bottom two teams.

Defending champions Auckland have not played Wellington in the trophy this season and it shapes as a decent contest. In the third game today, Otago play CD in Dunedin.

Points: ND 22, Canterbury 18, Auckland and Wellington 17, CD and Otago 10.