Andrew Penn

Auckland, winners of the State Championship for the last two years, found their lower order scripting a rescue act at the Eden Park Outer Oval today

Centuries by Canterbury batsmen Michael Papps (119) and Gary Stead (105) made a mockery of Wellington's decision to field first at the Basin Reserve in the final game of round three of the State Championship

Movement of players within New Zealand's domestic cricket has resulted in a re-balancing of player experience, especially when international players are taken out of the picture

No great surprises have occurred in the naming of players contracted to the six major associations for next summer

Chris Cairns's return to the bowling crease for his English county Nottinghamshire in their most recent game, against Kent at Maidstone, saw him join a select band of New Zealand cricketers

New Zealand representative Anna Corbin and leading men's wicket-taker Andrew Penn were named the Wellington cricketers of the year recently

New Zealand duly completed a 211-run victory over Border in East London on Monday, but ended the match possibly not a great deal closer knowing the composition of their seam attack for the second Test match against South Africa starting in Port

Adam Parore warmed up for the second Test match with a century in less than three hours against Border on Sunday, but the most thought-provoking effort of the day came from Andrew Penn who made a strong argument for inclusion in the side for Port