While two sixth-round Shell Trophy cricket matches were decided with indecent haste in two days, the Canterbury-Otago match is not even half advanced after the same playing time at the Village Green in Christchurch.
Following the more usual progress of a four-day encounter, the two South Island sides are locked in a struggle for first innings supremacy which is tilted in Otago's favour.
At stumps last night, Canterbury were 198 for six in reply to Otago's 329.
Canterbury will be frustrated they let the last Otago pair of Paul Wiseman (30) and Kerry Walmsley (26 not out) add 48 after Otago were 281 for nine when they came together.
The home side will also be frustrated in much of their top-order batting as they sought to make substantial inroads into the target on a placid pitch.
Two promising partnerships were started, between Jarrod Englefield (46) and Robbie Frew (16) producing 64 and later between Marcel McKenzie (39 not out) and Gareth Hopkins (39) worth 72, but both were extinguished as they threatened to become troublesome.
The stand between McKenzie and Hopkins was the largest in the match so far, with Otago's best only 58.
Canterbury's hope of overtaking Otago now rest with McKenzie and the lower order. McKenzie has held the middle order together with an innings of complete concentration having batted 209 minutes and faced 168 balls.
He did not score for 39 balls before stumps, but showed no signs of being anxious.
Canterbury had to withstand a demanding Otago attack spearheaded by the pace of Walmsley and Warren McSkimming and the spin of Paul Wiseman.
Captain Gary Stead, reverting back to opener with Harley James 12th man, rather gifted the southerners his wicket after cracking a short-pitched delivery to gully from McSkimming.
Frew was patience personified, while Englefield played some stylish attacking strokes in reaching 46 from 94 balls with seven fours.
Englefield fell to a delivery which kept rather low from McSkimming but he had a let-off in the previous over by the same bowler from a caught and bowled.
Canterbury slumped to 79 for four when Michael Papps was leg-before, the third successive time he has been dismissed in this manner.
NZPA
Cricket: Otago on top in southern battle
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