Cricket: Mason turns it on for Central

Veteran seamer Michael Mason was meant to scale back his four-day commitments for Central Districts this summer, but he bowled them to a remarkable innings victory over Otago at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln today.

The 37-year-old from Manawatu took career-best figures of 6-20 from 16.3 overs as the Stags rolled Otago over for only 63 in the second innings of their Plunket Shield clash, which set up Central's day-three victory by an innings and seven runs.

Central only made 277 in their first dig with the bat, but it proved to be more than enough and although Otago opened the day at 29-1 the wickets tumbled early on and didn't stop falling.

Tarun Nethula added to his six first-innings scalps as he grabbed three in the second innings to finish the match with figures of 9-50.

Otago opener Craig Cumming, who was dismissed for 24, fell five runs short of knocking off Bert Sutcliffe's all-time mark of 6028 runs in first-class cricket for the province.

Cumming was one of only three Otago batsmen to make double figures, while central wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk pouched three catches.

The result lifted Central off the bottom of the Plunket Shield standings after they opened their campaign with a draw against Wellington last week.

At Lincoln, Kane Williamson's record-breaking knock was halted on 284 not out, when Northern Districts declared at 608-9 in their match against Wellington.

The 21-year-old began the morning on 252 and watched his partners disappear at the other end as Graeme Aldridge (27), Tim Southee (16) and Trent Boult (3) all came and went before the declaration was called.

The marathon knock, which lasted 400 balls and 592 minutes, included 31 fours and a six and was the biggest score by a player for Northern Districts.

Williamson would've become only the seventh Kiwi to make a triple ton at first-class level if he had've pushed on to the massive number - the last man to do so in New Zealand was Peter Fulton when he made 301 not out in 2002/2003.

Wellington began their second innings a whopping 446 runs behind and although they started promisingly, they were bowled out late in the day for 216, as Northern claimed 20 points from the fixture and won by an innings and 230 runs.

Williamson followed up his mammoth batting effort with 3-44 with his off-spinners, while Black Cap Daniel Vettori claimed 3-28.

Northern only had to capture nine wickets due to the absence of the injured Wellington seamer Mark Gillespie.

Martin Guptill became only the fourth Aucklander to carry his bat through an innings as he made an unbeaten 195 during his side's first innings total of 381 in reply to Canterbury's 491-7 declared at Rangiora.

Guptill, 25, started the morning on 121 but lost most of his partners during the opening session and he didn't have enough support to kick on to his maiden double century.

Canterbury ended day three on 178-5, 288 runs ahead going in to the final day with George Worker at the crease on 74.