Cricket: Black Caps bowling duo star in Plunket Shield

Tim Southee. Photo / Getty

Two of New Zealand's premier bowlers have given Northern Districts an unexpected lead on the opening day of their Plunket Shield clash with Canterbury.

Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee combined for nine wickets as ND skittled Canterbury for 112, just hours after Northern had earlier been rolled for 138.

In seaming, green conditions ripe for bowling, Northern applied an aggressive batting approach which saw 104 of their runs come through boundaries. However, that same approach saw their innings end after just 29 overs, with lanky seamer Kyle Jamieson claiming 4-32.

Their early batting demise gave Northern a chance to advantage from the same favourable bowling elements. Sodhi showed spin could prosper on the track with 4-39, while Southee continued his dominance of domestic cricket with 5-39.

International all-rounder Corey Anderson took the other wicket to fall as his return to bowling ramps up. Northern Districts were 13-1 at stumps in their second innings.

Batting proved easier in the other Plunket Shield clashes taking place, with Wellington opener Luke Woodcock continuing his superb start to the season.

The 34-year-old was unbeaten on 117 at the end of play, adding to his knocks of 98 and 120 compiled in the first two rounds of the season.

Wellington finished the day at 278-5, with Woodcock receiving substantial support from New Zealand A wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who added 85 in a fifth-wicket partnership of 137.

The largest partnership of the day came in Dunedin however, where Anaru Kitchen and Josh Finnie combined for a 182-run stand for the sixth wicket.

The pair came in with Otago in trouble at 101-5, but put the hosts in a dominant position with some aggressive batting. 19-year-old Finnie made a career-high 98 before being trapped lbw by Doug Bracewell, while Kitchen will start tomorrow unbeaten on 124 as Otago reached 326-6 at stumps.​