Vincent delivers strong message with superb Cup knock

Lou Vincent, the 22-year-old Auckland batsman, sent the national cricket selectors a "Hey, remember me?" message when he scored a dazzling, match-winning 133 not out for Auckland in their Shell Cup demolition of Northern Districts at Eden Park Outer Oval today.

Vincent batted throughout the record-breaking Auckland innings of 318 for five wickets, and fell just short of the Auckland Shell Cup record score of 145 he scored against Central Districts last summer.

Rex Hooton, chairman of the Auckland selectors, was highly impressed with Vincent's form today.

"That 133 not out was a much better innings than Lou's 145 last season," said Hooton. "Today Lou showed us he had the maturity and the discipline to build an innings. In the past there have been times when, in his haste to play shots, he sometimes has self-destructed."

Vincent himself did not see the innings as knocking on the national selection door, although he has been ear-marked for the future and has played for New Zealand age-group sides.

"I am sorry the innings was too late to change our Cup hopes, but I have been building up a lot of confidence lately. I realise you have got to concentrate right to the end of an innings." Vincent kept wicket for Auckland in Cup games this season, and is keen to carry on the all-rounder role.

But he has found it a strain, and is only now adjusting to the demands of batting and keeping.

"Concentration is the thing. When you are keeping you concentrate hard for about 70 per cent of the time. Then when you go in to bat you sometimes find your concentration draining away.

"I realise, too, that I have got to be more consistent. That is something my flat-mate Tama Canning shows me. He just goes out and does it right every day.

"However, I like keeping, I want to keep on being an all-rounder, and if this innings today has done anything for me it has given me a benchmark I can base my game on for the rest of the season."