Cricket: How much has Lockie Ferguson's Plunket Shield form resonated?

Lockie Ferguson on his way to 12 wickets for 78.

The New Zealand test bowling ranks look settled for the upcoming series against the West Indies, but Lockie Ferguson's flurry of wickets against Otago at Eden Park Outer Oval was a reminder other aspirants loom on the periphery.

Ferguson took career-best figures of 12 wickets for 78 runs in Auckland's 135-run Plunket Shield victory, despite bowling with a fractured right thumb.

He suffered the injury from a Doug Bracewell delivery in the loss to Central Districts at Nelson. It failed to dilute his hostile spells.

The 26-year-old right-armer generated pace and bounce at will to dominate a game which included test incumbent Neil Wagner in the visitors' line-up.

Ferguson took seven for 34 from 15 overs in the first innings, and five for 44 from 19.1 overs in the second to complete the win for Auckland, who suffered defeats in the opening two rounds.

His inswingers hooped into the right-handers. That factor was complemented by significant seam movement, enough bounce to justify close-in fielders on the legside, and the odd delivery which held its line to coax an edge.

Speed radar information is unavailable at first-class level, but few of Ferguson's deliveries would have travelled at less than 145km/h.

"I've been working on some plans to get into batters' minds and set appropriate fields instead of just running in quick to try to get them out," he said.

"Eden Park Outer Oval's not always the easiest place to bowl. It tends to be flat and a runs-fest, but my game has come on in leaps and bounds since I've been working with Andre Adams as my bowling coach.

"We didn't necessarily see eye-to-eye to start with because we're both hotheads, but we've had good conversations since," Ferguson quipped.

He said Adams, who is currently working with the White Ferns in the United Arab Emirates, was the first to text congratulations.

Ferguson can expect a sterner examination when Auckland meet Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield's fourth round starting Wednesday.

ND are expected to field their test players, many of whom have just returned from the Indian tour. He will get a true gauge of his worth bowling against New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and potentially B-J Watling, if he overcomes the hip injury which has kept him out of the last two games.

Northern Districts' Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner, alongside Wagner and Auckland's Colin de Grandhomme are expected to form New Zealand's bowling axis for the first test against the West Indies starting December 1 at Wellington.

Ferguson has played seven one-day internationals and one T20 and is ranked 21st on the central contracts list after taking Mitchell McClenaghan's spot when he opted to freelance. Given the weighting of points, that indicates he is not seen in the test reckoning for now.