Domestic cricket ready, set, raring to go

By JONATHAN MILLMOW - The Dominion Post

The domestic cricket season starts on Tuesday with the opening round of the Plunket Shield. Jonathan Millmow asks the six captains for their thoughts.

AUCKLAND

Squad: Gareth Hopkins (captain), Richard Jones, Michael Bates, Colin De Grandhomme, Roneel Hira, Anaru Kitchen, Greg Morgan, Tarun Nethula, Jeet Raval, Lance Shaw, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Reece Young.

Import: Ravi Bopara (England) for the opening four Plunket Shield matches and the one-day and Twenty20 competitions.

New Zealand representatives: Martin Guptill, Hopkins, Tim McIntosh, Kyle Mills.

Coach: Paul Strang

Gareth Hopkins, which competition would you most like to win?

"We won the four-dayers last season and we'd love to go back to back. Twenty20 is such a huge carrot because of the money in the Indian Champions League so we are looking at that and that would be great for Auckland Cricket because it would help attract sponsorship. To me they are all on a par but the four-dayers are special."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"We'd love an out-and-out express bowler like Shane Bond or Brett Lee, but who wouldn't? I'm very happy with our squad. I'm happy with the spinners we've got, we've got a strong batting lineup and our attack is very decent especially if Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills are around. We've got some good left-armers as well [Shaw and Bates]."

NORTHERN DISTRICTS

Squad: James Marshall (captain), Graeme Aldridge, Trent Boult, Te Ahu Davis, Bruce Martin, Peter McGlashan, Michael Parlane, Bradley Scott, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Brad Wilson, Joseph Yovich.

Import: Tillerkaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) for Twenty20 only.

New Zealand representatives: Brent Arnel, Daniel Flynn, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori.

Coach: Grant Bradburn

James Marshall, which competition would you most like to win?

"To be honest, we have put a price on all three competitions. Both the coach and the players are hunting for all three. Lots of people are talking about Twenty20 being lucrative and all that, but the four-dayers have lots of honour and would be great to win and massively satisfying. Our aim is to win all three."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"We are pretty happy with the squad we have got. If there is one thing we lack it may be experience, some of the young guys are probably two years away, but experience grows. Skills-wise, I'm really happy. We'll bowl and bat well."

CENTRAL DISTRICTS

Squad: Jamie How (captain), Doug Bracewell, Brendon Diamanti, Bevan Griggs, Jamie How, Peter Ingram, Mitchell McClenaghan, Michael Mason, Brad Patton, Mathew Sinclair, Ewen Thompson, Tim Weston, George Worker.

Import: Graham Napier (Essex) for Twenty20 only.

New Zealand representatives: Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor.

Coach: Dermot Reeve

Jamie How, which competition would you most like to win?

"Definitely all three. Everyone is talking Twenty20 but there are a number of reasons why you play cricket and one of those is to achieve things that the record books will show forever and that is why the four-dayers mean so much. Winning the four-day title is always the ultimate."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"If there was one thing I could have that we haven't, maybe a spinner with a bent elbow. We've got an experienced batting lineup with Skippy [Mathew Sinclair], Peter Ingram and myself so we need to lead by example.

"In the bowling, Michael Mason and Ewen Thompson are always fine performers and I'm expecting Graham Napier to add a lot when he comes for the Twenty20. George Worker is our No 1 spinner this year which is a big ask for a young bloke but I think he is up to it."

WELLINGTON

Squad: Matthew Bell (captain), Harry Boam, Dewayne Bowden, Josh Brodie, BJ Crook, Mark Gillespie, Andy McKay, Cameron Merchant, Chris Nevin, Neal Parlane, Robbie Schaw, Luke Woodcock.

Import: Owais Shah (England) forTwenty20 only.

New Zealand representatives: Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Iain O'Brien, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder.

Coach: Anthony Stuart.

Matthew Bell, which competition would you most like to win?

"The simple answer is all three, but given our disappointing record in one-day and Twenty20 cricket over the last few seasons we are determined to make the finals in both of those this summer. We believe if we can make the final then we give ourselves a royal show of winning.

"The Plunket Shield probably takes care of itself. We are pretty confident about our chances in that competition, it's a game we play well and with a lot of confidence."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"We would've liked some pre-season games on grass and a fit Mark Gillespie [back injury], but you can only do what is put in front of you and we haven't been able to get on grass. Thankfully the practice strips at the Basin Reserve have been really good so that has helped.

"Next year I think quite a few of the boys will look to play in Aussie for four-five games before the season starts, like a lot of the ND boys did this year.

"Otherwise I think we have all the bases covered. The new guys have made a good impression. Andy McKay has fitted in well and I'm very excited about Robbie Schaw, he's bowling well in the nets and I've seen him in action for Hutt Districts. Cameron Merchant is also very capable. The three new guys are going to add something."

CANTERBURY

Squad: Kruger van Wyk (captain), Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Leighton Burtt, Jason Donnelly, Andrew Ellis, Peter Fulton, Johann Myburgh, Rob Nicol, Michael Papps, Shanan Stewart.

Import: Not eligible because they have two South Africans (van Wyk and Myburgh) seeking residency.

New Zealand representatives: Shane Bond, Chris Martin.

Coach: Bob Carter

Kruger van Wyk, which competition would you most like to win?

"I'd like to win the Twenty20 because it gives you the opportunity to play in different parts of the world. I'm also thrilled there are two full rounds of four-dayers because that is the true test of us and everyone wants to win that."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"I'd love to have all the New Zealand players available all the time, that would make for a great competition having them fit, healthy and available. Apart from that there is nothing I would change. This is the first time in three years I've felt we have all the bases covered from spinners to seamers, new ball bowlers and our batters."

OTAGO

Squad: Nick Beard, Derek de Boorder, Craig Cumming, Shaun Haig, Mat Harvie, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, Warren McSkimming, Leighton Morgan, Aaron Redmond, Greg Todd, Neil Wagner.

Import: Yasir Arafat (Pakistan) for one-day and Twenty20 competitions.

New Zealand representatives: Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Brendon McCullum

Coach: Mike Hesson

Craig Cumming, which competition would you most like to win?

"Obviously the Twenty20 has the greatest reward and we got to experience that in India last month so we'd love to win that again.

"Having said that the real focus at the start of the season is on the four-dayers, that's an area we haven't performed as well as we would've liked in and if we start well in that I think everything will flow from there."

What haven't you got that you would like?

"We need to be able to take 20 wickets. That has been a problem for us over the last three years, having the bowlers to take 20 wickets on flat pitches. We do well on pitches that do a bit but when they're flat we've struggled. Still, Neil Wagner, Matt Harvie, James McMillan and Warren McSkimming do a great job for us."