KEY POINTS:
The opening session today looms as critical in the outcome of the national championship final at Seddon Park.
Going into the third of five days, Northern Districts are 151 for four, in reply to Canterbury's first innings 443 for eight declared.
An hour before stumps, the situation was looking dicey for the hosts, who as top qualifiers, have only to avoid outright loss to clinch the State Championship.
At that point, Canterbury's bowlers had whisked through the ND top order to have them in difficulties at 102 for four, still 142 runs short of avoiding the follow on.
However, test batsman Hamish Marshall and Nick Horsley battled through in an unbroken 49-run stand for the fifth wicket to put some substance into the ND innings. At stumps, Marshall was on 42 and Horsley 25.
Marshall has been ND's leading runmaker this season and will resume today 12 short of reaching 700.
He has been a rock for ND during their campaign and looms as the key figure if Canterbury's plans are to be disrupted.
Avoid the follow on and Canterbury's task becomes significantly steeper.
Hamish Bennett had picked up two ND wickets for 20 in 10 overs in what coach Dave Nosworthy rated his most impressive spell of the competition, with Leighton Burtt and Andrew Ellis having one apiece.
Canterbury could have batted on as long as possible but felt they would eat up too much time, given ND's conservative field settings.
"We did try to force our hand today, we wanted to progress the game as quickly as possible. We took a few risks and obviously we lost a few wickets," Nosworthy said last night. "We're reasonably happy with where we are but there's a long road ahead."
Nosworthy was philosophical on Canterbury's chances of nipping the last six ND wickets out before the follow on mark of 244.
"It's still a really good batting deck, it's not going up or down or turning, so we'll have to bowl especially well and try and be as patient as possible."
Canterbury began the day at 260 for two, but three wickets fell in the space of five overs, including Thursday's century maker Michael Papps, run out for 132 which took some steam out of the innings.
Wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk and Burtt rattled on an unbroken 59 in 40 minutes for the ninth wicket before the declaration.
Tim Southee had the pick of the figures for the ND bowlers, with three for 73, but this is a pitch batsmen enjoy more than the leather flingers.
Nosworthy quipped that the pitch won't deteriorate on "days six, seven and eight". Canterbury must win outright to clinch their first championship since 1998. They might need something special to achieve that.
Added Nosworthy: "We'll do the hard yards and see what we can get out of the game."
