Stags out to shock Volts

Central Districts will be out to seal a coveted top-two playoff spot when taking on Otago in a crucial one-day cricket match at Pukekura Park today.

While the top four have been decided for the domestic competition heading into today's final round, the finishing order has not.

The only certainty is that the Auckland Aces, with 24 points and a seven-point buffer over the second-placed Stags, cannot be headed.

Northern Districts is equal with Central on points, but behind it on net run rate. Canterbury is fourth and just two points adrift, meaning it still has a chance of sneaking into the top two.

The lure of finishing in the top two is that there is a second life – the loser of the first semifinal lives to play again.

The winner of the first semi on Saturday will take the direct path to the final, while the loser will play the winner of the other playoff – between the third and fourth placed teams – next Wednesday.

With Auckland finishing top qualifier, it will host the first playoff, while Central Districts selector Scott Briasco yesterday confirmed if the Stags finished third, they would host the third-fourth qualifiers' playoff at Pukekura Park on Saturday.

He said if Central finished as the second qualifier and beat top qualifier Auckland, the final on February 21 would be played at Pukekura Park.

"Ideally, if we could qualify second and beat Auckland up in Auckland then host the final in New Plymouth we would be very happy," Briasco said.

In anticipation of Pukekura Park hosting the final, the scaffolding erected to house television presenters and cameras for the Twenty20 final at Pukekura Park will stay in place.

Central Districts is coming off a two-wicket loss to the Knights, but overall the Stags' form has been solid. They are unbeaten in five matches at Pukekura Park this summer.

Briasco has stuck with the 12 who played the Knights, with the playing 11 not being named until after the toss this morning.

Former Black Caps allrounder Brendon Diamanti has been 12th man for the Stags in the latest two rounds of one-dayers. He is patiently waiting to make his comeback after a lengthy layoff with a shoulder injury.

Briasco confirmed Diamanti was in the mix as a batsman, but there was no certainty he would play.

"It's a matter of getting the balance right in the side," Briasco said.

He said Diamanti had another two weeks to wait before he was able to bowl in a match.

"We're looking at a few options and looking to see who will be released by the Black Caps and what might happen come the playoffs.

"So it's a juggling act. You don't want to make too many changes and then find out you're getting guys back."

Briasco was referring to the Central Districts' Black Caps. "We're certainly going to be without Ross Taylor, we know that," he said.

The availability of Taranaki's Peter Ingram for the playoffs will depend on whether he is named in the New Zealand test side to play Bangladesh.

The Otago Volts have been one-day finalists for the past three years, but this summer find themselves out of contention for the playoffs.

But the Volts showed plenty of spark when thrashing Wellington by eight wickets in the capital last weekend.

"We gained a lot of confidence out of that," coach Mike Hesson said.

"We knew we were out of contention for a playoff spot before the last game and that's why I was very pleased with the professionalism that we showed."

Otago has made a change to its line-up, bringing in fast bowler James McMillan in place of Pakistan professional Yasir Arafat.

- © Fairfax NZ News