Black Caps make return to Plunket Shield
The Black Caps are back for the fourth round of the Plunket Shield, as the first test of the home summer draws near.
That fixture, against the West Indies at the Basin Reserve, less than three weeks away, and the likes of Trent Boult and Tim Southee will be keen to get firing with the red ball.
The catch is that for the first time in a long time, the test XI is rather settled. There will be changes from last time out – the rain-affected draw against South Africa in Hamilton in March – but they will be because players injured then are now fit, not because of form.
There is still plenty to play for, however, as poor performances by the incumbents against the West Indies could lead to changes when England arrive in March, and there is also the small matter of the competition in and of itself.
Wellington have a perfect record so far this season, but they don’t get any Black Caps back, which could halt their charge when they host Canterbury in the pick of the games that start today.
Wellington v Canterbury Basin Reserve, Wellington
Can Wellington be stopped? That’s the big question as the men from the capital have picked up 60 points – the maximum possible.
Their next challenges comes in the shape of a Canterbury side that is looking to honour two of its veterans in style.
Allrounders Andrew Ellis and Todd Astle will be playing their 100th first-class games for the province, and Astle is also four wickets away from passing Mark Priest’s provincial record of 290.
A Canterbury side featuring internationals Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Matt Henry is probably Wellington’s stiffest challenge yet, though they are at home.
Wellington (from): Michael Bracewell (c), Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell, Fraser Colson, Ian McPeake, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Jeetan Patel, Michael Papps, Matt Taylor, Logan van Beek, Luke Woodcock.
Canterbury (from): Andrew Ellis (c), Chad Bowes, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ken McClure, Cole McConchie, Todd Astle, Cam Fletcher, Tim Johnston, Matt Henry, Henry Shipley, Will Williams.
ND v AUCKLAND Seddon Park, Hamilton
A battle between the bottom two presents both teams with an excellent chance to get some muchneeded points on the board.
Northern Districts are the only team yet to win a game, and will fancy their chances against fellow strugglers Auckland, especially with their six Black Caps back in the reckoning – a group that includes national captain Kane Williamson and the new-ball duo of Boult and Southee.
The two quicks have a habit of wreaking havoc when they return to this level, though they will be up against an Auckland batting lineup that has been bolstered by the return of Martin Guptill, Colin de Grandhomme, Colin Munro, and Glenn Phillips.
Guptill and Munro are dominant forces at Plunket Shield level, but haven’t been able to hold down a place in the test team (in Guptill’s case) or even really crack it (in Munro’s) and with a glamour series against England in March on the horizon, they will both surely be eager to start making a case.
Auckland got their first win in the previous round, as Lockie Ferguson took 12-78 and steamrolled Otago, but they won’t have his services this time around, as he is absent taking a pre-planned break with an eye to managing his workload.
Northern Districts (from):
Daniel Flynn (c), James Baker, Trent Boult, Anton Devcich, Scott Kuggeleijn, Bharat Popli, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim
Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
Auckland (from): Michael Guptill-Bunce (c),Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Danru Ferns, Martin Guptill, Ben Horne, Ben Lister, Matt McEwan, Colin Munro, Robbie O’Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Jeet Raval.
OTAGO v CD University Oval, Dunedin
Otago are at home for the first time and have a chance to close the gap between themselves in third and second-placed Central Districts.
Like Wellington, they have no returning Black Caps and will have to deal with a Central team that welcomes back Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce, and Adam Milne.
None of Otago’s batsman have fired yet, with Hamish Rutherford’s average of 27.33 the team’s best mark.
Left-arm quick Warren Barnes made his first-class debut last week, in Otago’s loss to Auckland, and collected a tidy 6-66 for his efforts.
Central’s batsman have been in fine form already this season, and they will only grow stronger with Taylor and Bruce back in the mix.
Otago (from): Rob Nicol (c), Matt Bacon, Neil Broom, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Anaru Kitchen, Jimmy Neesham, Michael Rae, Hamish Rutherford, Brad Wilson, Neil Wagner.
Central Districts (from): Will Young (c), Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Greg Hay, Adam Milne, Ajaz Patel, Navin Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner, Ryan Watson, George Worker.