KEY POINTS:
Auckland, with just four wickets left, face an uphill task as they chase another 183 runs for a win on the final day of their State Championship four-day cricket match against Central Districts today.
Central were dismissed for 335 runs in their second innings on the third day of play at Napier yesterday, establishing a lead of 341.
At stumps, Auckland's reply was crumbling at 151-6 after they lost their top order cheaply and saw key batsman Scott Styris depart after a quick-fire 71 off 81 balls.
Central Districts bowler Ewen Thompson, who bagged five wickets in Auckland's first innings, brought his match total to seven as he grabbed the wickets of Andrew de Boorder (7) and Reece Young (34).
George Worker claimed another two wickets while Brent Hefford and Mitchell McClenaghan chimed in with one apiece.
Auckland were reeling at 62-3 until Styris and Young put on 68 runs for the fourth wicket.
But once Worker got Styris leg before wicket in the 37th over, Colin de Grandhomme (0) and Young followed with just another 24 runs added to the total.
Earlier, Brad Patton anchored Central's second innings with a well-compiled 142, his maiden first class century, after resuming on his overnight score of 61.
Tim Weston, 33 not out overnight, doubled his score to 66 as he shared a 106-run partnership with Patton before being run out by de Boorder.
Skipper Mathew Sinclair contributed 58 before gifting Styris a catch in the slips off Croft.
Andrew McKay cleaned up the Central tail to snap up four wickets for 57 runs with Lance Shaw bagging another three.
OTAGO v ND
Northern Districts pace bowler Trent Boult kept Otago on the back foot on the rain-interrupted third day in Dunedin.
The 19-year-old collected his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as Northern fought back to have Otago 256 for nine in their first innings chasing 275 when first rain, then bad light stopped play.
Boult easily eclipsed his previous first-class best of two for 34 with impressive figures of 5-53 off 17 overs, adding to his overnight tally of two with three well-timed wickets late in the afternoon.
A national under-19 and New Zealand A representative, Boult struck to take the last three wickets of the day in the space of just 16 balls.
Otago resumed yesterday handily placed on 116 for two, with former test opener Craig Cumming solid on 69 and Neil Broom ominously stubborn on four from 71 balls.
The pair put on 72 runs for the third wicket, before Cumming fell with the total on 142, caught by McGlashan off the bowling off Arnel on 85.
WELLINGTON v CANTERBURY
Canterbury are in a battle to avoid an innings defeat at the Basin Reserve in the capital.
At stumps on the third day of play yesterday, Canterbury were 115 for the loss of three wickets. They still need 152 runs to make Wellington, who scored 428-8 declared in their first innings, bat again.
- NZPA
