Two two-day matches for Wellington, firstly against Central Districts on Wednesday and Thursday, then in an internal trial between Wellington and Hutt Valley next week, will be vital preparation for last year's State Championship runners-up.

Badly hit by the weather, Wellington's players have had only two-and-a-half weeks of club play, although poor starts to the summer are not unusual for Capital dwellers.

The loss of time in October due to the players' strike is also another factor.

Coach Vaughn Johnson regards November as the most important month of the season, a time when the transition is made between winter and the forthcoming season.

"Pitches for club play have been very bowler-friendly but it will be the same for all teams, except Northern Districts who seem to have had half their team playing in Australia," he said.

The start to the season would be a difficult one because Wellington were not yet in control of their own destiny due to the political strife caused by the strike.

"We want to start the season competitively and we want to hit the ground running but there are a few obstacles in achieving that."

With Chris Nevin, Paul Hitchcock and Stephen Fleming required to be in Christchurch for the TelstraClear Black Caps camp this week, they were not considered for the Central Districts game.

That has given Johnson the chance to look at some of the contenders for positions.

His squad is: Matthew Bell, Luke Woodcock, Richard Jones, Leighton Morgan, Grant Donaldson, James Franklin, Matthew Walker, Andrew Penn, Iain O'Brien, Jeetan Patel, Glynn Howell, Jonathan McNamee.

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