KEY POINTS:
In mid-afternoon yesterday, Auckland were feeling in good shape on the opening day of their fourth-round match against Northern Districts.
Having sent ND in, they had the visitors 161 for five in their State Championship clash.
But Auckland grins turned to sweaty frowns as ND's lower middle order dug in and by stumps had got their team to a 278 for seven.
At stumps, wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan was on 45, Mark Jefferson yet to score and if you spied a bloke out the back of the stand giving himself a belt round the ears, it would have been Mark Orchard.
Having completed a conscientious half century, he was out in slightly soft fashion in the day's penultimate over.
The only innings of substance in the earlier part of the day had come from captain James Marshall, who followed his defiant 128 against Wellington in the last round with 56, laced with 12 fours.
Marshall and Nick Horsley put on 72 for the fourth wicket, then Orchard and Joseph Yovich added 37 for the sixth wicket.
But it was the Orchard-McGlashan stand that will be galling for Auckland.
Three times Orchard survived leg-before-wicket appeals in quick time from Tama Canning, two when not offering a shot, which prompted plenty of clutched heads and teapots from the field.
As they knuckled down, so the runs came and Orchard got to his second half-century of the season with a lavish off drive.
Both unfurled a couple of handsome drives as Auckland's line wavered late in the day, but Andre Adams had the last say, persuading Orchard to tickle a catch to wicketkeeper Reece Young just before the end.
That was fitting, as Adams carried on what has been a strong season with four for 44 from 27 overs.
* Leaders Canterbury sent defending champions Central Districts into bat in Christchurch and had them out by stumps for 264.
Only opener Peter Ingram held up steady Canterbury progress with 119, including 18 fours.
Each time CD looked like putting together a decent stand, Canterbury nipped a wicket out.
Four bowlers took two apiece, with two run outs not helping the CD cause. Canterbury were 12 for none at stumps.
* Otago's score was almost the same as CD, but they hold the whip hand over Wellington in Dunedin.
Having been sent in, Otago were dismissed for 270 and Wellington were shaky at five for two at stumps.
Neil Broom, among the most in-form batsmen of the championship, top scored with 67.
His successive scores so far are 45, 112, 79, 63 not out and 67.
Seamer Matt Harvie swept aside Wellington captain Michael Parlane and nightwatchman Jeetan Patel before stumps.
