KEY POINTS:
Auckland are planning at least one practice game to fill in time before they host the national one-day final early next month.
Having topped the round robin, even ahead of today's final round of State Shield games, Auckland will be left twiddling their thumbs for 10 days before the March 2 decider at Eden Park. Meanwhile, the teams finishing second and third will have their semifinal in between, and therefore maintain momentum for the final.
The likely date for a practice game is either February 26 or 27, and the game is expected to involve the squad plus second XI and ring-in players. Four of the last five, one-day finals have been won by a team finishing second or third, which will fuel Auckland concerns at keeping match hardened.
And Auckland are keen to maintain their roll in today's match against Central Districts at Eden Park. CD are one of four teams in a race for the semifinal spots and have the best net run rate of the four.
Lou Vincent returns for national team member Scott Styris in the only change from the team which beat Northern Districts in a thriller in Hamilton on Sunday. Wellington, lying third, host second-placed Canterbury at the Basin Reserve, both aware that victory should ensure they host the semifinal.
Otago, in fifth, play bottom side Northern Districts at Invercargill and third place looks their best chance of making the semis.
Points: Auckland 29, Canterbury 21, Wellington 19, CD 18, Otago 18, ND 10.
