Cricket: Welcome return to four

After a disastrous one-day campaign that saw them finish last, a return to the State Championship against Otago tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell.

What made Auckland's stumbling performance in the State Shield hard to fathom was the fact they had won all four of their State Championship games to have a commanding lead in the longer version of the game.

"For us it's absolutely outstanding we're getting back into the four-dayers," O'Donnell said. "The one-dayers didn't work for us for a variety of reasons but we're playing pretty confidently in this form of the game and I think it suits the balance of our side more.

"I've impressed on my players to forget about the one-dayers and move on. The best thing for us was having a week off before coming back to first-class cricket."

O'Donnell was reluctant to elaborate on why he thought his side couldn't translate their four-day form into the one-dayers.

"I will go through that at the end of the season," he said.

"Essentially the batters didn't get runs and there was a lack of confidence, which was strange because we more or less had the same side that played in the four-dayers."

Auckland will be without Kyle Mills and Andre Adams, who are on international duty with the Black Caps, for the game against Otago at Eden Park and have called up Gareth Shaw and Andy McKay.

Lou Vincent has recovered from a cracked finger while Tama Canning is expected to return to the bowling crease after recovering from a side strain picked up against Wellington four weeks ago.

Otago, who are fourth in the table but only two points behind second-placed Northern Districts, will miss Jeff Wilson who was also called up by the Black Caps.

Otago coach Glenn Turner, whose four-year reign as coach comes to an end in June when his contract lapses, said they'd miss Wilson because they had less depth than other sides but that no one player was essential to success. One player he was looking to continue his good form was test hopeful and Otago captain Craig Cumming.

The 29-year-old opener is in the frame to replace Mark Richardson, who retired at the conclusion of last season.

Cumming has enjoyed some excellent form in the State Championship, scoring two centuries and a 50 in four matches to average 48.37.

"He has to be in the frame for the tests [against Australia]," Turner said. "He is organised and I think he has a good show of being successful at that level."

Cumming experienced a baptism of fire to the international scene when he averaged only 15.33 in 10 one-dayers against Pakistan in 2003/04 but Turner thinks he would make a better fist of it in the test arena.

"I always felt that when he was picked for the one-dayers, he was much better suited to the longer version of the game," Turner said.

Tomorrow's game will be Auckland's last in the first round of the State Championship before the competition splits, with the top three teams playing the bottom three before a grand final starting on April 3.

In other games starting today, ND host Canterbury while CD are at home to Wellington.

Auckland: Brooke Walker (captain), Aaron Barnes, Carl Cachopa, Tama Canning, Matt Horne, Richard Jones, Andy McKay, Rob Nicol, Gareth Shaw, Lou Vincent, Kerry Walmsley, Reece Young.

Otago: Craig Cumming (captain), Chris Gaffaney, Gareth Hopkins, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan/David Sewell, Warren McSkimming. Aaron Redmond, Bradley Scott, Jordan Sheed, Craig Smith, Greg Todd, Muhammad Wasim. - HERALD ON SUNDAY