Cricket: Vincent has chance to rediscover form

By CHRIS RATTUE

Auckland opener Lou Vincent gets an ideal chance to discover some form against Canterbury in the fifth round championship match starting today.

Vincent's test prospects tumbled in the just completed series against Pakistan and he failed to make the one-day line-up, so is back in the Auckland side for the domestic competition.

State Championship leaders Canterbury and second-placed Auckland meet at Hagley Oval on a pitch famed for producing hardly any movement for seam or spin bowlers.

"It was like that 25 years ago and it hasn't changed a bit," said Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell.

Canterbury amassed 452 against Northern Districts at the ground in the last round, with Michael Papps hitting 192, but it was the home side's ability to dismiss Northern Districts twice which was the star turn.

Auckland should provide a tougher task for the Canterbury bowlers, with a long batting line-up starting with returning test openers Vincent and Mark Richardson.

Richardson was his usual dogged self in the test series with a run of respectable scores, but Vincent averaged just four.

Auckland have lost Kyle Mills and Andre Adams to the Black Caps. They believed they might get either Mills or Adams back for this game, but were told the Black Caps squad would remain together.

Tama Canning has re-injured a shoulder and will also be missing, opener Shane Singe drops out, and Craig Pryor and Gareth Shaw join the squad.

Canterbury, who have lost Brendon McCallum to the Black Caps, have paceman Warren Wisneski back from injury in place of New Zealand hockey defender and penalty corner ace Hayden Shaw.

In other matches today, Central take on Otago in New Plymouth and Northern host Wellington in Hamilton.

Canterbury: Chris Harris (capt), Shanan Stewart, Michael Papps, Peter Fulton, Gary Stead, Neil Broom, Paul Wiseman, Aaron Redmond, Brendon Donkers, Paul Wiseman, Chris Martin, Stephen Cunis.

Auckland: Brooke Walker (c), Lou Vincent, Mark Richardson, Tim McIntosh, Matt Horne, Rob Nicol, Aaron Barnes, Craig Pryor, Paul Hitchcock, Reece Young, Kerry Walmsley, Gareth Shaw.

Points: Canterbury 18, Auckland 13, Wellington 6, Otago 5, Central Districts 4, Northern Districts 2.