Cricket: New points system forces tactical rethink on Plunket Shield captains

Plunket Shield Northern Districts v Auckland. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A new points system for this season's Plunket Shield will have captains studying the permutations more closely than they have needed to in the past.

In the past few seasons, first-class calculations were simple: a first innings win was worth two points; outright win six; get both and that's eight points. This summer an outright victory is worth a flat 12 points. There is a bonus points system in place for each team's first innings, but no set reward for a first innings win.

The batting team receives one point on reaching 250, another at 300, 350 and a fourth and final point at 400 - but those marks must be reached inside 110 overs to collect the points.

The bowling side gets one point at three wickets, with others at five, seven and nine wickets. That gives a total of 20 points on offer to both teams.

Auckland captain Gareth Hopkins felt the "jury is out" on the new system at this early stage.

"I haven't really spoken in depth to our boys as far as tactics go. As far as last season's form went, we couldn't even bat 110 overs," he said of Auckland's ropey batting form of last summer.

Hopkins suspects teams will get more cagey in the later part of the shield campaign.

"I think we will see, at the back end of the season when points become pretty important, more tactics around the points structure."

The system is based around the English county championship, so Hopkins expects to pick his Nottinghamshire professional Andre Adams' brain on how teams go about their business.

Adams took 11 wickets to carry Auckland to their tense 19-run win over Northern Districts in Whangarei last week. But he is sitting out today's second-round game against Canterbury at Rangiora, with New Zealand seamers Chris Martin and Kyle Mills having to play, along with most of the international players, in their warmup game ahead of going to Australia.

Test opener Martin Guptill returns - Canterbury internationals wicketkeeper Reece Young and batsman Dean Brownlie are also back - and Hopkins is rapt.

"To have three quality Black Caps players back is fantastic, it's great for the game and teammates see how they go about their work, what they're trying to achieve and their attitude."

Northern Districts might look a shade skinny on batting for their game against Wellington at Lincoln.

They have four specialist batsmen with wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan and test allrounder likely to come in at Nos 5 and 6. Joey Yovich is out injured.

Wellington have recalled internationals Andy McKay, Jeetan Patel and Jesse Ryder for the game. Ryder, who injured a calf bowling in an ODI in Zimbabwe last month, had to have a fitness check, having been pulled out of a club game on Saturday.

Veteran new ball bowler Michael Mason has made an unexpected return for Central Districts against Otago at Lincoln, to help out a familiar fast-medium injury problem.

Former international Mason was restricting himself only to limited-overs cricket this summer, but put his hand up as ongoing injuries to Bevan Small, Ben Wheeler and Seth Rance, and one picked up by Steve Smidt in last week's draw against Wellington, cause problems for CD's selectors.

New Zealand captain Ross Taylor replaces Greg Todd while test opener Brendon McCullum makes a rare appearance for Otago and former Auckland player Jimmy Neesham makes his first appearance in their squad since moving south.

Points after the opening round: Auckland 17, Otago 16, Wellington 7, ND and Canterbury 4, CD 3.