Cricket: Skipper wants Aces batsmen to support bowling attack

Andrew de Boorder. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland have only one way to go when the Plunket Shield resumes today.

Parked joint bottom with Wellington on two points after three rounds, with seven remaining, Auckland visit the capital today, so what better way to begin making strides up the ladder.

They already have both limited-overs trophies in the cabinet, the T20 and one-day crowns, but the chances of making it a hat-trick are remote.

Leaders Central Districts have 24 points, and a 14-point cushion on next best, Canterbury and Northern Districts. Still, there are a maximum 56 points on offer for all teams.

Auckland are without captain Gareth Hopkins, whose wife is expecting their second child this week, veteran seamer Daryl Tuffey, who is being rested, opener Tim McIntosh, recovering from a badly bruised toe and allrounder Colin Munro, who is also injured.

Test seamer Chris Martin will lead a capable bowling attack, but stand-in captain Andrew de Boorder knows batting was the pre-Christmas problem.

Only Anaru Kitchen, with 306 runs at 61.2, stood up. Next best were Brad Cachopa and Kyle Mills with 175 and 174 runs respectively.

"Certainly, we've got the firepower to bowl teams out but we didn't get enough runs, and we've talked about that," de Boorder said yesterday.

"The guys have got confidence from the one-day and T20 wins and the good thing is we've still got seven first-class games left and a lot of points up for grabs."

Wellington, whose coach Anthony Stuart has already been let go after five largely poor seasons, present the ideal chance for Auckland to get their campaign moving.

They are without regular allrounder Harry Boam, with an Achilles injury, but have a pair of former internationals leading their attack - Mark Gillespie and Andy McKay - and another ex-test player, Jeetan Patel, providing the spin.

As for CD, who visit Northern Districts in Whangarei today, coach Alan Hunt is wary of getting too far ahead of themselves, after cleaning up Wellington, Canterbury and Auckland with maximum points in November.

CD were beaten by Auckland in the T20 final but were poor in the one-day competition.

"I think that's motivation in itself to get back on track," Hunt said yesterday. "We need to play well at the start to maintain the lead we do have."

"We can't really dwell on the points table too much. We've really got to play session by session and keep doing the things we know we're good at."

ND are without regular captain James Marshall, who is attending his brother Hamish's wedding. Both will be available for the next round, Gloucestershire-based Hamish playing as an overseas professional.

Otago host Canterbury at Queenstown, and they have the leading run-getter (Neil Broom, 347 at 86.75) and wicket-taker (Neil Wagner, 24 at a remarkable 12.75) in their side.

Points after three rounds: CD 24, Canterbury and ND 10, Otago 6, Auckland and Wellington 2.

PLUNKET SHIELD TEAMS FOR TODAY

Teams for the fourth round of the Plunket Shield, with all matches beginning at 10.30am today, are:

Wellington v Auckland, Basin Reserve

Wellington: Grant Elliott (c), Cam Merchant, Josh Brodie, Stephen Murdoch, Michael Pollard, Neal Parlane, Joe Austin-Smellie, Jeetan Patel, Andrew Lamb, Andy McKay, Mark Gillespie, Malaesaili Tugaga.

Auckland: Andrew de Boorder (c), Jeet Raval, Greg Todd, Brad Cachopa, Anaru Kitchen, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Andre Adams, Ronnie Hira, Michael Bates, Bhupinder Singh, Chris Martin.

Northern Districts v Central Districts, Whangarei

ND: Brad Wilson (c), Daniel Flynn, BJ Watling, Brook Hatwell, Michael Parlane, Peter McGlashan, Trent Boult, Jono Boult, Brent Arnel, Graeme Aldridge, Jason Donnelly, Andrew Mathieson.

CD: Kruger van Wyk (c), George Worker, Peter Ingram, Mathew Sinclair, Brad Patton, Tim Weston, Doug Bracewell, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Tarun Nethula, Michael Mason, Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan

Otago v Canterbury, Queenstown

Otago: Craig Cumming (c), Aaron Redmond, Shaun Haig, Neil Broom, Darren Broom, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Ian Butler, Warren McSkimming, Nick Beard, Neil Wagner, James McMillan.

Canty: Peter Fulton (c), Michael Papps, Rob Nicol, Shanan Stewart, Tom Latham, Reece Young, Todd Astle, Andrew Ellis, Brandon Hiini, Ryan McCone, William Lonsdale, Carl Frauenstein.