Cricket: Walmsley not 100 per cent but may play

By Chris Rattue

Former test fast bowler Kerry Walmsley could be rushed back into the Auckland side after their defeat by Otago yesterday.

New-ball bowler Chris Drum has been ruled out of the second-round Shell Trophy match against Central Districts in Masterton which starts tomorrow, because of the side strain which limited his effort in Otago's second innings.

The southern side cruised to victory at Eden Park's outer oval yesterday, with Mark Richardson and Simon Forde untroubled as they took 36 minutes to knock off the final 30 runs needed to complete a six-wicket victory.

Walmsley also has a side strain, suffered in Conference cricket, and has been working his way back to fitness in club cricket for the past month.

The Auckland squad had yet to be confirmed last night, but Walmsley was rated about 90 per cent fit in a fitness test at Eden Park yesterday and will travel to Masterton.

Otago's first-round victory over Auckland was dominated by the swing bowling of Shayne O'Connor, allied to an inability of all but a few of the batsmen from either side to deal with a slow Eden Park pitch.

The wicket at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton is expected to be a completely different proposition. The predictions are that it will give plenty of life to the opening bowlers early on and then quickly suit the spinners.

Auckland have very few options in covering for the loss of Drum, meaning Walmsley is in line for a recall.

While O'Connor set up Otago's win with 12 wickets in the match, it was Richardson's innings which turned the tide his side's way after they had been in some danger at 55 for four chasing 170 for victory.

The left-handed Richardson looked secure from the moment he came in to bat and continued to crack the ball to and near the boundary against Auckland's combination attack of pace and spin yesterday. He finished on 92 but richly deserved a seventh first-class century in an innings in which he offered just one sharp chance, on the leg-side to wicketkeeper Jason Mills from Brooke Walker's legspin.

After last year's disasters, Auckland have made some progress in both the one-day and four-day games this season. But new coach David Trist said: "They continue to keep teasing themselves and me.

"Every time they seem to be getting the idea they just can't back it up over sessions and days. We've made some progress but there is a long way to go."

If Walmsley is fit enough to play in Masterton, the big fast bowler may give Auckland the fire to score an outright win that is long overdue.

But Auckland must still solve their problems at the top of the batting order.

Former international openers Blair Pocock and Bryan Young failed to produce the goods against Otago.

Pocock looks in the mindset to play a long innings but his attacking shots lack fluency, and he obviously needs time at the crease to find his scoring touch.

Young still plays shots as good as you will see in New Zealand's first-class cricket, but he was unable to spend enough time at the crease to put Auckland on the way to good scores at Eden Park.