Otago will have to cope with threats from all corners as it
seeks to finish the Plunket Shield season on a positive note
on the road.
The Volts play Northern in Whangarei in a four-day game
starting today, before ending the campaign with a clash
against Wellington at the Basin Reserve from March 29 to
April 1.
While Otago (26 points) is too far behind runaway leader
Northern (44) to claim the domestic four-day title for the
first time in 22 years, it can still overhaul Central (32)
and Canterbury (28) if results go its way.
That should provide the motivation for an injury-plagued
Otago team to keep pushing hard in the dying stages of the
season.
For Northern, there is a massive incentive to grab a third
consecutive outright win to claim the Plunket Shield.
The Knights have struck a rich vein of form, thumping
Wellington by nine wickets and then Auckland by 10 wickets.
Central to their success has been the rising star of New
Zealand cricket, young batsman Kane Williamson, who scored
170 against Wellington and 192 against Auckland.
It seems only a matter of time before Williamson is selected
for the Black Caps in some form of the game. Until then, his
is the one wicket Otago must try to snare cheaply.
Even if Williamson fails, Northern has a loaded batting
line-up that features former internationals Daniel Flynn and
the Marshall brothers, James and Hamish, as well as
provincial stalwart Michael Parlane and the innovative Peter
McGlashan.
Experienced bowlers Joseph Yovich, Graeme Aldridge, Bradley
Scott and Bruce Martin surround young left-armer Trent Boult
in the attack.
The Volts, while not exactly on their last legs, have been
badly affected by various injuries.
Warren McSkimming (calf), Aaron Redmond (stomach), Ian Butler
(groin), James McMillan (abdomen) and Sam Wells (hamstring)
are all out.
That puts pressure on captain Craig Cumming - chasing Bert
Sutcliffe's record of centuries for Otago - and Neil Broom
with the bat, and on Neil Wagner and Mathew Harvie with the
ball.
The Plunket Shield has featured 18 outright wins this season,
up from 12 in each of the last two seasons.
Northern accounts for five of those wins with two rounds to
go.
Meanwhile, recuperating Black Caps batsman Jesse Ryder will
sit out Wellington's game against Canterbury but may be
available for the final-round game against Otago.
Ryder underwent surgery last month to reinforce his abdominal
wall and has been back in the nets and also playing club
cricket the past fortnight.
But Wellington said Ryder was not considered for selection
this weekend as he had not passed the required fitness
criteria laid down by New Zealand Cricket fitness and medical
staff.
The other Plunket Shield game starting today is between
Auckland and Central at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.
• OTAGO V NORTHERN
Whangarei, starting today
Otago Volts: Craig Cumming (captain), Nick Beard,
Derek de Boorder, Darren Broom, Neil Broom, Anthony Bullick,
James Fuller, Shaun Haig, Mathew Harvie, Nathan McCullum,
Greg Todd, Neil Wagner.
Northern Knights: James Marshall (captain), Graeme
Aldridge, Trent Boult, Daniel Flynn, Hamish Marshall, Bruce
Martin, Michael Parlane, Peter McGlashan, Bradley Scott, Kane
Williamson, Brad Wilson, Joseph Yovich.
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