Cricket: Auckland playing for pride

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Auckland have the chance to play party-poopers but not much else in their limited-overs match against leaders Wellington at Eden Park's outer oval today.

The disappointing Auckland side go into the last round of the State Shield in fifth place, with no hope of making the top-three playoffs.

But victory could rob Wellington of the direct route to next week's final.

Auckland, who played more like jokers than aces, Nick Horsley apart, in losing to Northern Districts in Tuesday's day-nighter, would need to turn it around to seriously trouble Wellington, who have lost only one match in nine this season.

The only other game with any real interest today is in Timaru, where Canterbury meet Northern Districts.

To have any chance of overhauling second-placed Northern Districts, Canterbury would need to win and collect a bonus point.

Such a victory would give the southerners second place on the basis of a better run-rate, and a home semifinal on Wednesday.

Northern's only hope of going straight into the final, which would be played in Hamilton on February 2, depends on their winning and Auckland beating Wellington.

In that case, Wellington would host Canterbury in a semifinal.

Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson said his team were treating today's trip to Eden Park as just another game, but were obviously keen to take the points to earn a home final.

"In most seasons we would be through [to the final] by now," Johnson said. "We can take some heart from our fightback against Otago on Tuesday where we showed we can bat second and chase a total.

"It was good to see our middle and lower orders do the job."

In their only change, Wellington have brought back former international Andrew Penn in place of Mark Gillespie.

Auckland have the same 12 players, the only concern being Chris Drum, who fell in the game against Northern. The match starts at 11 am.

Northern have taken the same squad from the Hamilton game to Timaru.

Canterbury have promoted Marcel McKenzie for the first time this season to replace Nathan Astle in their 13-player squad.

The third game, between Otago and defending champions Central Districts in Invercargill, gives Central a chance to get off the bottom of the table if they win and take a bonus point.