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Otago batsman Craig Cumming - Source: Photosport -
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Northern Districts can't quite put their feet up but they are in a comfortable position midway through their Plunket Shield cricket match against Otago while Shanan Stewart has shined again for Canterbury in their match against Wellington and Central District's hopes are fading against Auckland.
Otago resume on the third morning on Monday at Cobham Oval in Whangarei on 165 for one in their first innings, still well short of the home side's effort of 465 for nine declared - see the full scoreboard here.
With two days remaining, Otago must make all the running, leaving skipper Craig Cumming to consider declaring well behind in the hope Northern Districts leave his side a gettable runchase.
For now, though, competition leaders Northern Districts are tantalisingly close to wrapping up the shield with one round remaining.
They are 12 points ahead of their nearest challengers Central Districts, who have conceded first innings points to Auckland, and have earned themselves some breathing space against Otago thanks to a third first-class century to Brad Wilson.
Resuming on Sunday on 87 with his team at 325 for six, Wilson duly reached the milestone before departing for 107, leaving the stage to Peter McGlashan, who advanced from his overnight 21 to 71 before being run out.
There were no terrors in the pitch, something the Otago batsmen appreciated as they make a strong start, with Cumming unbeaten on 90 at the close and within sight of his 18th first-class century.
Darren Broom was at the other end on 21, with the only wicket to fall being that of Shaun Haig for 42
Canterbury vs Wellington
Canterbury cricketer Shanan Stewart kept his name in lights with another Plunket Shield century, this time against Wellington at Rangiora on Sunday.
Stewart stroked 101 in his team's first innings of 318 on the second day of the four-day match, his third first-class century of the summer - see the full scoreboard .
He was principally responsible for Canterbury earning a first innings advantage of 142 runs, which Wellington erased by the close.
Wellington made a much better fist of their second innings, advancing to 144 for two by stumps, with Neal Parlane well set on 78 not out after hitting 11 fours and one six.
He and Stephen Murdoch put on an opening stand of 124 before Murdoch departed for 59, trapped leg before wicket by Todd Astle, a spinner who then immediately picked up Cameron Merchant for a duck.
Stewart, who this month played at one-day international level for New Zealand for the first time, hit 15 fours in his seventh first-class century which spanned a tick over three hours after Canterbury resumed this morning on 103 for one chasing the visitors' 176.
He built on the earlier good work of opener Michael Papps who
did not last long, adding just four runs to his overnight 60.
Stewart dominated the scorecard before being the last man out after
receiving good support from Kruger van Wyk with 31 and No 10 Ryan
McCone, who made 24.
Seamer Ili Tugaga was the pick of the Wellington bowlers with figures of four for 74, while left-armer James Franklin and Stewart Rhodes took two apiece.
Auckland vs Central Districts
The batting deeds of two Auckland veterans has left Central Districts' Plunket Shield cricket hopes hanging by a bare thread at the halfway point of their match in Auckland.
Centuries to Richard Jones and Gareth Hopkins lifted the hosts to first innings points at Colin Maiden Park and they extended their lead to 78 runs by stumps on day two with six wickets in hand - see the full scoreboard.
Central are the only team who can prevent leaders Northern Districts from winning the first class championship but they need outright wins in each of the last two rounds, something that seems unlikely after Auckland reached 347 for four in reply to the visitors' 269 all out on Saturday.
Jones and Hopkins - both one-Test wonders who share 238 first class games between them - put on 135 for the fourth wicket to give their side control.
Opener Jones, 37, struck his 18th first class ton in reaching 123, an innings that lasted 3-1/2 hours and featured 17 fours. It lifted him to 694 runs for the season and five short of 7000 at first class level.
Hopkins was slightly more aggressive than his teammate and was unbeaten on 133 at day's end, closing in on his career best 175 not out. It is his 11th first class hundred.
Central's bowlers were all forced to toil. Spinner George Worker removed Andrew de Boorder for 31 and Jones, both caught by Mathew Sinclair, to claim two for 51.
