Cricket: Strang backs Styris's form

Auckland coach Paul Strang is reluctant to buy into the non-selection of experienced Scott Styris for New Zealand's ODI team playing Bangladesh.

However, he is happy to give an eloquent testimony of what he has brought to Auckland's limited-overs campaigns this summer.

Styris's form for Auckland in the HRV Cup and the one-day competition has provided a strong argument for his inclusion. On Saturday, he carried on his impressive season with 71 off 77 balls in Auckland's thrilling tie against Canterbury at Colin Maiden Park.

In the Twenty20 competition, Styris hit 274 runs at 27.4 and took 12 wickets at 25.08; in the one-day competition he's made 204 runs in five innings at 40.8.

There's an argument that the selectors, Mark Greatbatch, Glenn Turner and captain Dan Vettori, have left Styris out against Bangladesh because they know his capabilities and want to look at other options with the world Twenty20 championship in mind in May.

Strang limited his thoughts on Styris to what he's done for Auckland. His view is that the national selectors have their reasons for their choices, and that's their job. But if they ask the former Zimbabwe legspinner for an opinion it would sit well on Styris's CV.

"He's done everything I've asked for," Strang said yesterday. "He's been very good behind the scenes, a good leader, talks well and his captaincy at Oamaru was excellent.

"His performances on the field in the Twenty20 and one-dayers have been pretty good."

Styris has been a central figure in Auckland's making the Twenty20 final and assuring them of a home semifinal in the one-day competition this week. They sit top of the table after their tie against Canterbury, turning tomorrow's final round robin game against Northern Districts at Whangarei into a chance to fine tune and tidy up those bits of their game which need attention.

Auckland should have beaten Canterbury, who made 287 for 7 in their 50 overs. The hosts were sitting pretty at 268 for five, 20 needed off four overs.

However, international speedster Shane Bond removed Hopkins and Colin de Grandhomme in the 47th over. Auckland then drew level with Canterbury with three balls left before medium pacer Carl Frauenstein, finding the ideal yorker length, bowled Anaru Kitchen and Lance Shaw with consecutive balls, and last man Michael Bates was run out.

The silver lining came in the form of the two points from the game confirming a home semifinal, where they will host the second-placed team on Saturday. Win and Auckland will host the final; lose and they get a second life against the winner of the other preliminary final, between the third and fourth-placed teams.

Auckland have rested regular players Bates and Ronnie Hira, and left out 12th man Jimmy Neesham for the trip north, bringing Andrew de Boorder, Bhupinder Singh and Peter Erasmus back to freshen up the squad.

ND beat CD by two wickets with three balls to spare on Saturday, Kane Williamson carrying on his fine form with 77.

Those teams are sure of semifinal places. Yesterday, bottom-placed Otago romped to an easy win over Wellington.

In the other final round games tomorrow, CD host Otago at New Plymouth, and Canterbury play Wellington in Christchurch.

Points with one round remaining: Auckland 24, CD and ND 17, Canterbury 15, Otago and Wellington 8.