KEY POINTS:
Runs might be a precious commodity for the New Zealand team preparing to face Australia in Adelaide, but they were flowing in a torrent in domestic first-class cricket yesterday.
Two double centuries and three other hundreds were struck in the three State Championship games as batsmen prospered in helpful batting conditions, particularly in Hamilton and Eden Park.
Top honours went to Central Districts opener Peter Ingram, whose 247 is the highest first-class score for his province and put his team in a solid position against Northern Districts at Seddon Park.
The Wellington allrounder James Franklin hit 219 as Wellington reached 533 for five declared, Auckland openers Tim McIntosh and Richard Jones showed there are plenty more runs in the strip in the final session, reaching 70 and 62 respectively to have the hosts 133 without loss.
And in Invercargill, New Zealand A representative Neil Broom continued solid early-season form when he hit 140 not out as Otago pushed on to 352 against Canterbury, and having the visitors 145 for five at stumps.
Franklin, returning from his lengthy layoff with frustrating knee problems, and with a return to national colours a long-range ambition, hit 28 fours and eight sixes to show there's nothing wrong with his batting eye.
On the way to his second double hundred for Wellington - and fourth first-class century altogether - he shared a Wellington record 282-run fifth wicket partnership for the province against Auckland with Luke Woodcock, who pushed on to his third first-class hundred, 102 not out.
But Franklin's effort was surpassed by Ingram.
The 30-year-old from Hawera, in his 51st game for CD, overtook his captain, Mathew Sinclair's provincial record of 243 not out, set just last season against Otago. Only 10 New Zealanders have made a higher score in domestic first-class play.
He began the day on 144 and simply marched on, facing 356 deliveries,
hitting 31 fours and four sixes.
Not to be completely outdone, Sinclair hit 101 as the pair put on 264 for the third wicket, easily surpassing the old CD mark against ND of 142 by David White and Grant McKenzie on the same ground in 1985-86.
It was Ingram's eighth first-class ton, Sinclair's 24th and they steered CD to 479 for nine declared, an overall lead of 154.
At stumps, ND were 83 for two, still 71 behind going into the final day.
Ingram did his business with new national coach Andy Moles looking on.
There have now been 10 hundreds in four completed championship matches with the second-round games going into their final day today.
Eight have come from batsmen in the top four. It's as if the country's top order batsmen are announcing themselves to the new boss.
ND expect to have a replacement for Moles in place by the weekend.
Chief executive David Cooper said an interim appointment until the end of this season would be made, before a long term decision is taken around March-April.
The interim coach is expected to come from within ND's coaching organisation.
