KEY POINTS:
Otago's middle order launched a counter-attack on Auckland's big total with two centuries and a half a century on the third day of their four-day State Championship match at Lincoln near Christchurch yesterday.
With centuries from Gareth Hopkins and Neil Broom and a half century from Kyle Hogg, Otago declared their first innings at 348 for five wickets in reply to Auckland's 627 for seven declared.
At stumps, Auckland were 102 for one, leading by 382. They could declare early today to chase a result by throwing the challenge back at Otago.
Hopkins and Broom combined for a 219-run fifth-wicket stand to push Otago closer to the follow-on mark at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Starting the day on 52 for four, the duo stayed firm until Chris Martin removed Broom for 112.
Hopkins was unbeaten on 139 and Hogg on 53 when Otago captain Craig Cumming declared, on 348 for five, 279 adrift of Auckland's total.
Rain intervened, but the players were soon back on the field and Otago made immediate inroads when Cumming removed first-innings double centurion Tim McIntosh for nine. Auckland were 102 for one at stumps, captain Richard Jones having made a run-a-ball 55.
* Central Districts continued where they left off last season, scoring a three-wicket win over Wellington at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
The 2005-6 champions cruised to 228 for seven, achieving the 175 runs required for outright victory in 49.4 overs. Though Wellington managed to take five wickets at a steady pace, Central's middle order ensured the result, with Ewen Thompson coming in at No 8 and scoring 40 off 43 balls.
Wellington had scored 296 in the their first innings with captain Michael Parlane and Jesse Ryder each scoring 68 and Franklin 64. Ewen Thompson took four for 77, Michael Mason three for 39 and Lance Hamilton two for 58. In reply, Central managed two runs better, 298, on the back of Greg Hay's unbeaten 98, Griggs' 58 and Taylor's 41. Iain O'Brien took four for 65 and Mark Gillespie three for 83 for Wellington.
* Shane Bond took five wickets for 37 runs to put Canterbury in a healthy position for a winning result heading into the last day of their match against Northern Districts at Rangiora today.
The Black Caps speedster bowled 19.3 overs in addition to 19 on the first day, when he took two for 37.
One of Bond's victims yesterday was Black Caps spinner Daniel Vettori, who scored 86 in 109 balls.
Bond denied his Black Caps teammate, the last batsman out in Northern's second innings, a century when he had him caught by Todd Astle.
Northern Districts were bowled out for 197 in their second innings. Canterbury were 60 for one at stumps and need only 136 runs to win.
- NZPA
