Cricket: Northern Districts wary of desperate Wellington

Northern Districts will face a desperate Wellington in tomorrow's one-day State Shield cricket match at Taupo's Owen Delany Park.

Wellington must win both their remaining games to have a hope of making the semifinals.

"If they lose this game it's all over for them," Northern Districts coach Bruce Blair said.

"They have been playing good cricket and only lost by 15 runs against Canterbury.

"(Stephen) Fleming is in form, (Chris) Nevin is in form -- it should be an interesting proposition."

Wellington sit in fifth place, nine points behind second-placed Northern Districts who will secure a spot in the semifinals with a win tomorrow.

"We need a win in one of these last games and can count on a semifinal but we're wanting to win both and force our way into the final, although that's dependent on other results," Blair said.

The top team automatically qualifies for the final, while the second and third placed teams play off for the remaining spot.

Northern Districts have what appears to be a dream run into the semifinals with games against the two bottom-placed teams, Wellington and winless Auckland, to finish round-play but Blair warned nothing could be taken for granted.

"It shows how close the competition is that Wellington are fifth and still have a chance if they can win and secure some bonus points."

Te Ahu Davis is the only change to the team, coming in for Daniel Flynn as the likely 12th man, although Blair said the final decision on the playing 11 would not be made until he had seen the pitch.

The game was shifted to Owen Delany Park after the debacle at Hamilton's Westpac Park in the match between the Black Caps and World 11, so the pitch was having to be prepared at short notice.

Northern Districts lost their only previous match at the park this season on New Year's Day when Central Districts struggled to a one-wicket win after being set a target of 100 on a green seamer.

However, Blair expected the wicket to be far better with the recent good weather.

Northern Districts: James Marshall (captain), Graeme Aldridge, Alun Evans, Matthew Hart, Nick Horsley, Hamish Marshall, Peter McGlashan, Mark Orchard, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Joseph Yovich, Te Ahu Davis.

- NZPA