Cricket: Northern pin hopes on good pitch

Northern Districts begin their State Shield one-day cricket title defence today at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park hoping for a pitch that produces more runs than in last season's final.

Northern will face last season's beaten finalists Central Districts, who will be out for revenge for their 20-run loss in the decider.

The final was a low-scoring affair, with Northern struggling to 190-9 in 50 overs and none of the batsmen looking settled on the low, slow pitch.

Coach Bruce Blair said although Pukekura Park usually produced good pitches, in the last few years they had been difficult and not ideal for one-day cricket.

"If it's like that, 200 to 220 will be a competitive score," he said.

"But you don't really want to look at one-day cricket like that. You really want to go along and see 260 to 270 runs where there's plenty of action."

However, despite the difficult nature of the pitch, Pukekura Park has proved a happy hunting ground for Northern in recent years.

"It's not a bad place for us to go to start the season," Blair said. "We've had a bit of good fortune there and played some good cricket."

That will be needed if they are to beat a consistent Central line-up.

Northern will look to last season's star, Graeme Aldridge, to take wickets early to pressure the home side's batting order, which includes former Black Cap Mathew Sinclair.

Form player Joseph Yovich will play a key part in the bowling attack in the absence of Daryl Tuffey, who will miss at least the first four rounds because of a bicep injury.

Captain James Marshall apart, the batsmen all have some form on the board with at least one substantial score in the opening three rounds of the State Championship four-day competition.

"I think if you look at the last month most of the batters have shown good glimpses of form. BJ [Watling] and Nick [Horsley] in the game against CD, and Daniel Flynn got a 100 first up," Blair said. "Joey and Mark [Orchard] got their first 100s as well so there's been some really good work, but it's just not clicked as a group in one innings."

- NZPA