Cricket: Auckland have to get more runs

Sixteen of the 22 players from the Auckland and Canterbury teams who will walk over the white line for today's one-day match on Eden Park's outer oval have played at the highest level.

Results, particularly from the home sides in State Shield matches this season, suggest they have struggled to convert that undoubted talent from the international arena to the domestic game.

Auckland's only points in four matches came in last week's washout in Taupo, although two days later against Wellington they almost got up for an unlikely victory.

"Simply, we have to get more runs," said Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell, who remains confident that his team's chase for a top-three finish is by no means out of reach, weather permitting. "We have the batsmen capable of doing the job, but for one reason or another they are not.

"They are getting starts and then getting out. Too often we have lost wickets in pairs, which makes it difficult. I thought we bowled and fielded exceptionally well at the Basin, but one over - the 49th which we had to bowl downwind - cost us.

"Playing a team such as Canterbury is not going to be easy, but we know if we play well we can beat anyone."

The match will be held on the same drop-in pitch used for the game against Otago, when the visitors found few terrors in the Auckland attack as they posted a match-winning 295 for seven after being asked to bat first.

Led by an unbeaten 101 from opener Chris Gaffaney, 73 by captain Craig Cumming and a well-constructed 50 from Jeff Wilson, the visitors were always in control. Only Kyle Mills at No 6 and Reece Young at No 9 offered anything in reply, scoring 35 apiece.

Canterbury have come north with a strong side, with former Auckland opener Tim McIntosh left out of the 13 players who coach Michael Sharpe had in Timaru for the match against Northern Districts.

Lamenting the disappointing effort at Aorangi Park, Sharpe said: "No one took responsibility. There are no excuses. We ran out of options. Sure, we have talked about it, but you can talk all you want. It is more important to move forward than look back. The competition is not long enough to dwell on things.

"We have a well-balanced side, but there are some other very good teams. We just hope the wicket is a good one. Otago got runs on it, so we should be able to as well."

Nathan Astle showed out for Canterbury against Northern, taking four for 19 as the visitors were restricted to 148. In reply, Astle and fellow international Michael Papps scored 86 for the first wicket, but it was all downhill from there as the hosts slumped to be all out for 142.

Canterbury go into today's match one point behind leaders Otago and ahead of Central on run differential. Auckland are bottom, four points adrift of fifth-placed Wellington.

The remaining fifth-round matches will be played on Sunday before the competition takes a break of almost three weeks.

THE TEAMS

Auckland: Matt Horne, Richard Jones, Rob Nicol, Lou Vincent, Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning, Kyle Mills, Andre Adams, Reece Young, Brooke Walker (captain), Paul Hitchcock, Kerry Walmsley.

Canterbury: Michael Papps, Nathan Astle, Gary Stead, Peter Fulton, Craig McMillan (captain), Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Paul Wiseman, Hayden Shaw, Stephen Cunis, Andrew Ellis, Chris Martin.

* Remaining 5th round matches: Sunday, Central Stags v Wellington Firebirds, Waikanae; Otago Volts v Northern Knights, Dunedin.