Canty men plotting colleagues' downfall (11 November 1998)

11 November 1998

Canty men plotting colleagues' downfall

by Geoff Longley

Logo Two Canterbury men, Craig McMillan and Denis Aberhart, will seek to plot the downfall of their closest cricketing colleagues when the Shell Conference series starts today.

McMillan captains the Central selection and former Canterbury mentor Aberhart coaches it against Southern in the opening round of the four-match series at Lincoln Green at Lincoln University.

McMillan, 22, has not only been drafted into the Central side to help strengthen its batting, but has also been entrusted with the leadership as New Zealand Cricket gives him increased responsibility. McMillan captained the New Zealand Super Max eights to success at an international tournament in July.

The pair will have an in-depth knowledge of the strengths and weakness of the Canterbury players who contribute seven of the Southern side, guided by Warren Lees.

While he brings information on the Canterbury contingent to the Central side, McMillan faces the challenge of moulding a team with more drafted players than both the other sides in the four-team competition, which also features Pakistan A.

Five "outsiders" have joined regular players from Wellington and Central Districts in the Central team.

The Southern conference team has no drafted players while Northern has one.

"It makes my job a little more difficult than for the other teams," McMillan said.

"But I think we can use it to our advantage. We have players from every side except Auckland, and we all know each other or have played against each other so there should be no problems there."

The Lincoln Green pitches have produced a wealth of runs in early-season games this year, so high-scoring matches seem likely with the boundaries also short.

"I know some of the bowlers are a bit worried that conditions suit the batsmen more than them, but it is basically a trial series for the tests against India."

Southern lost all-rounder Chris Cairns for the game after the international player was advised to further rest a knee injury that has troubled him since New Zealand's tour of Sri Lanka which ended in July.

Cairns has been replaced by Otago batsman Mark Richardson, but is expected to be fit to play in the second round, which starts on November 16.

The addition of Pakistan A to the series was an important boost, McMillan said. "They've got 10 international players in their side. They give a lot more credibility to the series."

In the other first-round match, Northern, which won the four-day and one-day series last season under John Bracewell, but is now guided by Chris Kuggeleijn, play Pakistan A in Timaru. Apart from Llorne Howell's withdrawal, Northern is also without original selection wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Parore for the first game because of exams.

Southern: Stephen Fleming (captain), Geoff Allott, Nathan Astle, Mark Richardson, Martyn Croy, Craig Cumming, Chris Harris, Matthew Horne, Shayne O'Connor, Mark Priest, Paul Wiseman, Warren Wisneski.

Central: Craig McMillan (captain), Matthew Bell, Matthew Hart, Robbie Hart, Mark Jefferson, Robert Kennedy, Andrew Penn, David Sewell, Mathew Sinclair, Craig Spearman, Alex Tait, Roger Twose.

Northern: Dion Nash (captain), Mark Bailey, Stephen Mather, Michael Parlane, Simon Doull, Chris Nevin, Chris Drum, Blair Pocock, Daniel Vettori, Brooke Walker, Bryan Young, Kerry Walmsley.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)