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Kruger Van Wyk of Canterbury - Source: Photosport -
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A giant partnership between centurions Shanan Stewart and Kruger van Wyk has rocked Canterbury from the back to the front foot in their Plunket Shield cricket match against Central Districts in New Plymouth.
The visitors could yet complete that rare cricketing achievement of winning outright after following on as they established a 209-run lead by stumps on the third day at Pukekura Park.
It will be hard to achieve on a pitch that has flattened out, which Stewart and van Wyk took full advantage of in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 228.
It lifted Canterbury to 400 for five after they followed on 191 runs behind the hosts, having been skittled for 223 on Friday.
A tiring Central attack could do little as Stewart reached 137 and a more aggressive van Wyk a career-best 122 in a partnership that has lasted just under four hours.
It is the in-form Stewart's sixth first class ton and the 27-year-old is also closing on his career-best 161, which he scored against Northern Districts in Rangiora last week. His average this season currently sits at 73.4, having climbed past 500 runs.
Wicketkeeper Van Wyk peppered the short boundaries 20 times -- hitting four more fours than his partner -- in compiling his fourth first-class hundred.
The pair are closing on the record sixth-wicket stand for Canterbury, the 293 shared by Peter Fulton and Neil Broom against Otago in Dunedin five summers ago.
Fulton was one of the early wickets to fall this morning as Canterbury resumed at 26 for one and were reduced to 172 for five, with Ewen Thompson the best Central bowler taking two for 79.
Meanwhile, Otago are poised to leave Auckland a sporting runchase as they pursue maximum points in their Plunket Shield cricket match in Dunedin.
Otago ended the third and penultimate day on 170 for two in their second innings at University Oval on Saturday, holding an overall lead of 319 runs.
With three sessions remaining, captain Craig Cumming will on Sunday contemplate a declaration at some stage as he pushes for maximum haul of eight points.
Otago have already pocketed two points for gaining first innings honours after Cumming's opposite Richard Jones declared Auckland's innings at 238 for seven at tea, conceding a deficit of 149 runs.
The home side quickly extended that advantage as Cumming and Leighton Morgan scored freely, Cumming making 54 from only 64 balls and Morgan 48 off 51 as Otago looked to speed the game along.
Greg Todd followed their lead, smacking 42 not out off only 32 balls before the close, with three sixes and the same number of fours.
Earlier, Auckland had Tim McIntosh and Reece Young to thank for getting them out of a spot of bother when they resumed this morning at 28 for three chasing Otago's first innings of 387.
McIntosh made 81 and Young 80 to ensure their side safely reached the follow-on mark before captain Jones called his batsmen in.
McIntosh, the New Zealand test opener, and Young put on 131 for the fourth wicket after morning rain forced a delayed start on Saturday and were only parted when medium-fast bowler Anthony Bullick accepted a return catch to end McIntosh's stay after he hit 11 fours and one six in a touch over three hours.
Young stuck to his task before being caught by Cumming off Nick Beard, having hit 12 boundaries in 154 minutes.
Left-arm quick Neil Wagner was impressive in taking two for 29 for Otago, while Bullick finished with three for 51 off 13 overs.
