Cricket: Parlane out for 'tune-up'

Neal Parlane will find it strange today when he plays for Wellington against Northern Districts at the Basin Reserve.

He moved from Whangarei to Wellington at the start of the season and will be competing against elder brother Michael and several of his former Northern Districts team-mates.

"I caught up with Michael and a couple of the other Northern guys in Wellington on New Year's Eve, but I know they'll be offering me no favours in the game," Parlane said.

"They'll be giving me plenty of stick when I come out to bat, and I'll be looking to give them a bit of a tune-up, too. This is one game I'm keen to do pretty well in."

The top-order batsman was dropped from the Northern Districts team last summer. Coach Bruce Blair yesterday said Parlane had been "not that willing to be a part of the culture."

That was a reference to his apparent reluctance to improve his fitness.

Blair said he bore no animosity toward Parlane, having wished him well when he moved.

Parlane said he was accused of having a bad attitude, and going to Wellington offered him a fresh start.

He made an immediate impact in the capital and was chosen for Wellington's State Championship four-day side.

After three championship matches he is leading the Wellington averages with 47, and in his first State Shield one-day appearance against Otago in Alexandra on December 28, he scored 19.

That day he suffered cramp, and a possible groin strain, which prevented him playing against Central Districts on Monday.

Parlane is confident he will be fit to play today.

Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson was less confident about his side's prospects after their three-wicket loss to Central Districts and a less-than-convincing first-round win over Otago.

Northern Districts have posted victories against Auckland and Canterbury, and are joint leaders with Central Districts.

Blair played down Northern Districts' start to the competition, saying they had relied on individual brilliance to beat Canterbury in Taupo.

Wellington: Matthew Bell (capt), Chris Nevin, Richard Jones, Neal Parlane, Grant Donaldson, Matthew Walker, James Franklin, Mayu Pasupati, Mark Jefferson, Mark Gillespie, Ashley Turner, Iain O'Brien.

Northern Districts: Robbie Hart (capt), Matthew Hart, James Marshall, Hamish Marshall, Nick Horsley, Michael Parlane, Scott Styris, Joseph Yovich, Bruce Martin, Gareth West, Graeme Aldridge, Mark Orchard.

- NZPA