KEY POINTS:
Rival coaches Mark O'Donnell and Andy Moles used to lock horns during their days in South African domestic cricket.
Having guided Gauteng and Free State respectively in the early part of the decade, they met up again at Eden Park yesterday ahead of Auckland's match against Northern Districts starting today.
And both doubtless offered each other commiserations as they pondered their positions on the State Championship points table.
Last season, Auckland finished fifth and ND last in the first-class competition; now ND are fourth on six points, courtesy of their win over Central Districts in round two, and Auckland are bottom on two points.
"I know Mark well, we're good friends," ND's Moles said last night. "We bumped into each other today and had a good chinwag and consoled each other on last week's results [ND lost to Wellington; Auckland fell seven runs short of beating Canterbury].
"I know the sort of cricket he'll play. They'll want a result and they'll be desperately disappointed they didn't manage it last week. I'm sure they'll bounce back and whoever plays the most consistent cricket over the next four days will get the result."
Auckland have English professional Mal Loye back to bolster the batting after missing last week's game with a calf twinge and have named 13 players to prepare for the game. They will also be hoping Andre Adams' resounding form continues.
In two games, Adams has bagged 11 wickets at 21 apiece recorded and a batting average of 114.5.
A lame first innings batting effort cost Auckland against Canterbury but ND have to recover from an ordinary allround display in losing to Wellington by 10 wickets. They have made one change, Nick Horsley replacing Daniel Flynn, who has a groin injury.
Former test fast bowler Ian Butler, retooling himself into a specialist batsmen after a lengthy battle with injuries, will be 12th man. Moles hopes he will have a part to play in ND's one-day shield campaign, which starts at Eden Park on December 23.
Defending champions Central Districts have their third captain in as many games against Canterbury in Christchurch. Ross Taylor, fresh from a booming run-a-ball 217 against Otago, takes over from Lance Hamilton, who injured a knee in that game. Hamilton had been stand-in skipper for recalled New Zealand test opener Jamie How.
Otago have made one change for their game against Wellington in Dunedin, fast bowler James McMillan out with an injury and replaced by Nick Turner. Wellington are unchanged.
