Cricket: Wellington certain to keep lead

Even without any points from their third-round State Championship match against Central Districts which starts at the Basin Reserve this morning, Wellington are assured of going into the two-month break at the top of the table.

The Mathew Bell-led side are eight points clear of Otago but with such a difference in net run rate they will not be headed and know they can come back for their next match against Northern Districts on February 20 still on top.

Stephen Fleming's return will further strengthen what is an already strong Wellington side.

Central welcome back Jacob Oram and Lance Hamilton to add some much-needed all-round skills to the team which is struggling at the bottom of the table but are probably playing better than their position suggests.

Today's round brings most of the Blacks Caps back into action with much interest in Daniel Vettori's return to lead Northern Districts against Auckland on Eden Park's Outer Oval.

Vettori's influence with bat and ball will be welcomed by his team-mates.

Just as importantly, they will be looking to a return to form of the Marshall twins, who can't buy a run these days.

Auckland are likely to have Andre Adams and Kyle Mills on deck for the first time this season, which should further strengthen the side who have not had a lot of luck in their first two games.

Coach Mark O'Donnell is pleased to have his internationals back to join other Black Caps Lou Vincent and Scott Styris in the Aces XI.

"Having your top players in the side is one thing," said O'Donnell. "Making sure you do something about the potential they bring is another.

"It was very frustrating to lose so much time in Christchurch. In the end we were pleased to get the [first innings] points in a match which did not even go 1 3/4 days."

Of the form shown so far by Matt Horne, O'Donnell was very circumspect, saying: "He has been very unlucky."

Pitches on the outer oval have traditionally produced good contests. With so much rain, preparation has been hindered. But O'Donnell is confident it will be a good, fair, one.

The pitch at Dunedin's Carisbrook will also come under scrutiny, and not just by the Otago and Canterbury teams.

Cricket Otago officials, hoping to push their case for future one-day internationals, see this match and the State Shield one-day game on January 10 as the opportunities to press their claims.

"If you don't play, you don't know how good or bad the wicket is," said association chief executive Ross Dykes yesterday. "We have had terrific co-operation from the Otago Rugby Union and are confident we can prove Carisbrook is up to standard for future ODIs."

Otago go into the match as the only team other than Wellington to have taken outright points this season with their win first-up over Northern in Gisborne.

This will be a tough test against what seems certain to be a full strength Canterbury side led by Chris Harris and including the return of Shane Bond and Chris Cairns.