In-form Stags continue to set high standards

Can anyone slow down Central Districts in white-ball cricket?

Central are sitting pretty in the Ford Trophy one-day competition, having won four matches in a row.

That coincided with an impressive end to the Twenty20 Super Smash, where they lost in the final to Northern Districts.

The Stags will look to continue their strong recent play when they travel to Invercargill to play Otago in round six of the Ford Trophy tomorrow.

With just three rounds left, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago are battling for the fourth finals spot with Central, Auckland and ND all but guaranteed of making it.

Otago v Central Districts Queens Park, Invercargill

Central Districts and Otago are travelling in different directions.

The Stags are finding ways to win matches even in tricky circumstances, as they did in Wednesday’s two-wicket victory over Canterbury in Palmerston North, where they chased down 287 with a ball to spare.

Otago are a team down on confidence, dropping both Ford Trophy matches over the past week, having finished last in the T20 competition.

CD (likely): Will Young (c), Ben Smith, Jesse Ryder, George Worker, Dane Cleaver, Josh Clarkson, Christian Leopard, Adam Milne, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner, Ryan McCone, Navin Patel.

Otago (likely): Rob Nicol (c), Hamish Rutherford, Shawn Hicks, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder, Jimmy Neesham, Michael Rippon, Mark Craig, Neil Wagner, Matt Bacon, Jack Hunter, Michael Rae. a poor end to their T20 campaign and a 50-over loss to ND when the competition resumed.

Opponents Auckland are well placed, sitting second on 13 points.

Wellington (likely): Hamish Marshall (c), Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Iain McPeake, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Malcolm Nofal, Alex Ridley, Logan van Beek, Luke Woodcock, Peter Younghusband, Fraser Colson.

Auckland (likely): Craig Cachopa (c), Michael Barry, Graeme Beghin, Jamie Brown, Mark Chapham, Lockie Ferguson, Donovan Grobbelaar, Tarun Nethula, Glenn Phillips, Jeet Ravel, Sean Solia, Aniket Parikh.

Northern Districts v Canty

placed and will likely need to win their remaining three round matches to qualify for the finals.

After beating Otago in their first match since the resumption of the one-day competition, Canterbury couldn’t defend 286 against CD on Wednesday.

Northern Districts have been inconsistent, winning three of their five matches. They’ve often followed up a convincing win with a sub-par loss and will be eager to go on a winning run.

Northern Districts (likely): Dean Brownlie (c), Brent Arnel, Anton Devcich, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Nick Kelly, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Seifert, Josef Walker, BJ Watling, Henry Cooper.

Canterbury (likely): Andrew Ellis (c), Todd Astle, Chad Bowes, Cameron Fletcher, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Johnston, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Michael Pollard, Cole McConchie.