KEY POINTS:
Auckland have lost their grip on the State Championship lead, crashing to a heavy defeat by Wellington at Eden Park's outer oval yesterday.
Needing to bat out much of the day to force a draw, Auckland lost Rob Nicol to the first ball of the day and eventually lasted just 49.1 overs, bowled out for 132 to lose by an innings and 95 runs.
Wellington's comprehensive victory took them to the top of the championship ladder, six points clear of previous leaders Auckland. Canterbury went second equal with outright victory over Central Districts.
Already struggling at 16 for two overnight and trailing by 227 on the first innings, Auckland capitulated.
Mark Gillespie did the early damage, inducing an edge from Nicol to spark an Auckland collapse that saw six wickets tumble before lunch.
"You can't lose six wickets in a session and expect to be competitive," Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell said. "It is really simple - if you don't bat well enough and get through the first half-an-hour on a reasonably good surface, then you put yourself under a little bit of pressure."
There were no demons in the rather docile pitch. Certainly Wellington had little trouble batting on it, posting 524 for six on Saturday in reply to Auckland's first innings of 297.
Wellington's innings was built around a record stand of 246 by Neil Parlane (165) and South African-born all rounder Grant Elliott (108).
Despite the presence of England test squad member James Anderson, who ended with match figures of 2/98 from 38 overs, Auckland's attack struggled for penetration. The loss of leading bowler Andre Adams and fellow internationals Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent to the rebel cricket league in India was keenly felt.
Opener Martin Guptil (44) and Colin de Grandholme (22) were the only Aucklanders to provide resistance on the final day. Spinner Luke Woodcock took four wickets, while Gillespie ended with three.
O'Donnell said Auckland, who travel to Gisborne to play Northern Districts on Friday, wouldn't be too downcast by the result. "We got it wrong but we are still in the hunt. We will regroup and practise hard this week.
"It is just a case of stepping up and making sure that the losses of Tuffey, Adams and Vincent aren't terminal for us. There is still a hell of a lot of cricket to go. But as we saw in the test, you can get a session wrong and lose the game. If we had got through to lunch two or three down then we would have had every chance."
Michael Papps scored 134 and Johann Myburgh 148 to seal an outright win for Canterbury over Central Districts at Napier. The hosts had set Canterbury 343 to win after their morning declaration.
In Invercargill, Northern Districts took the bonus points from a draw against Otago. The teams agreed to the draw 14 overs into the final session yesterday, with Otago progressing to 115 for two.
