Cricket: Sulzberger tackles pain barrier

Central Districts cricket captain Glen Sulzberger has resigned himself to playing with a niggling knee ligament injury this summer.

The injury flared during his team's State Championship four-day loss to Northern Districts in Napier earlier this month.

But Sulzberger says he is hopeful of continuing to play through any pain. "I seem to be able to manage it okay. Hopefully I shouldn't have excessive problems," he said ahead of his team's State Shield one-day match in Palmerston North today against Auckland.

Central Districts will hope he plays through after Ross Taylor suffered a hamstring injury.

Taylor, who announced his arrival last summer with a series of head-turning performances, could be out for about three weeks.

"He was pretty much vital to the way we played last year," Sulzberger said of Taylor.

The sidelining of Taylor saw Nelson's Duncan Cederman called into the squad and he will make his debut for the province if chosen to play. The Marlborough duo of Brendon Diamanti and left-hander Geoff Barnett had earlier been named in the Central squad to replace internationals Jacob Oram and Mathew Sinclair.

Central Districts, the reigning domestic one-day champions, fancy their chances again this season.

"We feel we've got all the right ingredients this year," Sulzberger said.

"We'll be up against new challenges and it will be interesting to see how people play against us."

Auckland boast a 12 in which only four players have not played for New Zealand. Central Districts won both one-dayers between the two teams last season.

- NZPA