Cricket: Auckland go with home-grown flair

Auckland will again go with home-grown talent after considering and rejecting the opportunity to call in an overseas professional this summer.

Their stock has been boosted anyway with the arrival of New Zealand contracted players Chris Martin (from Canterbury) and Scott Styris (from Northern Districts) and Tim McIntosh's return after a season in Christchurch.

While former Wellington allrounder Mayu Pasupati has had a job transfer to Auckland and has joined the North Shore club, Auckland selector Rex Smith said he did not expect him to play representative cricket here.

The club competition starts today with the first round of one-day matches.

The first four rounds are scheduled to be played on artificial pitches with the last round-robin games on November 19. The final will be played at Eden Park on December 4.

The two-day competitions run from November 26-December 3 with the last games on February 11-18 followed by the championship round for the top four until March 18-25.

Of the players contracted to the association, Tama Canning, Rob Nicol, McIntosh, Andre Adams and Matt Horne have wintered over in Europe. Carl Cachopa has been at the academy in Christchurch.

"We have had players here for winter training including some fringe players we are now looking at as those likely to come into the team in the next couple of seasons," said Smith.

"Club cricket will be important as some players will not be available right through and we have only 15 contracted players in total."

Coach Mark O'Donnell is in Sri Lanka with the New Zealand A team. Richard Jones has replaced long-serving captain Brooke Walker.

Aaron Barnes, another stalwart, has retired from representative cricket but is listed among the Cornwall players for the club season.

Smith will again coach the two-day championship-winning Cornwall. Tony Blain (Grafton), Dipak Patel (Howick Pakuranga), Paul Strang (East Coast Bays) and Austin Parsons (Takapuna) are other big name coaches.

IN

Chris Martin to Parnell (from Canterbury)
Scott Styris to Parnell (from North Districts)
Tim McIntosh to Parnell (from Canterbury)
Mayu Pasupati to North Shore (from Wellington)
Shoruban Pasupati to North Shore (from Wellington)
Alister Maiden to Papatoetoe (from England, club pro)
Terry Crabb to Birkenhead City (from North Shore)
Paul Hitchcock to North Shore (from Takapuna)
Ian Billcliff to University (from Grafton)
Scott Davies to Grafton (from Ellerslie)
Azhar Abbas to Eden Roskill (from Wellington)
Alex O'Dowd back to Takapuna

OUT

Brooke Walker (Howick Pakuranga) retired
Keeley Todd to Hawkes Bay
Gareth Shaw to Otago

Auckland's contracted players

Richard Jones (North Shore)
Andre Adams (Takapuna)
Carl Cachopa (Takapuna)
Tama Canning (Suburbs New Lynn)
Matt Horne (Grafton)
Tim Lythe (Suburbs New Lynn)
Tim McIntosh (Parnell)
Rob Nicol (Cornwall)
Kerry Walmsley (Howick Pakuranga)
Reece Young (Suburbs New Lynn)

TEAM STANDINGS

Contracted to NZ Cricket

Chris Martin (Parnell)
Kyle Mills (Howick Pakuranga)
Scott Styris (Parnell)
Lou Vincent (Takapuna)


Top three 2004-05

Premier

One-day: Howick Pakuranga, East Coast Bays, Grafton.
Two-day: Cornwall, Parnell, Grafton.

First grade

One-day: Suburbs New Lynn, Takapuna, Eden Roskill.
Two-day: Takapuna, Suburbs New Lynn, Birkenhead City.

Winners since 2000

Premier

2003-04: One-day, Grafton. Two-day, East Coast Bays.
2002-03: One-day, Cornwall. Two-day, Papatoetoe.
2001-02: One-day, Cornwall. Two-day, Cornwall.
2000-01: One-day, Cornwall. Two-day, Grafton.

First grade

2003-04: One-day, Waitakere City. Two-day, Waitakere City.
2002-03: One-day, Waitakere City. Two-day, University.
2001-02: One-day, Papatoetoe. Two-day, Papatoetoe.
2000-01: One-day, Papatoetoe. Two-day, Birkenhead City.