KEY POINTS:
A record ninth-wicket stand of 151 by Reece Young and debutant Greg Morgan took Auckland from the brink of an embarrassing capitulation to a position of dominance against Northern Districts at Eden Park's outer oval yesterday.
Auckland had looked down and out at 85-8 shortly before lunch but Young took control with a high quality innings of 114.
The Auckland keeper was able to post his second first class century thanks to the dogged support of Morgan, who took 39 balls to get off the mark before bludgeoning two sixes and ten fours on his way to an undefeated 83.
The pair's effort eclipsed the previous ninth-wicket record for Auckland against all comers of 122, set by Bob Cunis and Heck Schuster against Wellington in 1964/65.
The only blip during the stand came with Auckland still six runs short of Northern's 169 when Morgan was put down at point by Daniel Flynn.
The error cost Northern dearly, with Auckland's last two wickets adding 201 runs to leave Northern contemplating how the promise of a healthy first innings lead had turned into a 117-run deficit.
Just nine of those runs had been erased when both Northern openers were removed in the space of four balls. Andre Adams trapped Brad Wilson in front for two and B.J. Watling followed him to the pavilion after playing around a straight ball from left-arm seamer Andy McKay.
There was no fairytale debut for Tauranga schoolboy Kane Williamson. He went the same way as the first innings, lbw to Adams, this time for a duck, to leave Northern reeling at 10-3 at stumps.
The stellar efforts of Young and Morgan made a mockery of the flaky batting that preceded - and followed - them.
Crease occupation seemed a forgotten art as promising Northern paceman Tim Southee celebrated his 19th birthday with a maiden first class five-wicket bag.
Having lost experienced opening pair Richard Jones and Tim McIntosh to Southee before stumps on Monday, Auckland's middle order was horribly exposed at the start of day two.
Overnight batsmen Martin Guptil and Rob Nicol struggled to get the ball off the block and it was Nicol who eventually cracked, attempting a single that let Flynn run him out with a direct hit from cover. Guptil then edged Southee to Wilson at first slip.
Colin de Granholme was next to self-destruct, turning the ball directly to Southee at square leg and setting off for a run. He didn't get close, with Southee's throw arriving in time for Peter McGlashan to whip the bails off.
Todd edged a simple chance to Watling and 65-6 quickly became 65-7 when Adams tried to pull his fourth ball from Southee and succeeded only in spooning a simple catch to Aldridge.
Lance Shaw then fended a lifting delivery from Southee to gully to present the teenager with his milestone.
Auckland went to lunch at 102-8. Light rain delayed the start of the second session but when the players came out, Young and Morgan turned the game on its head. Southee broke the stand in his second over with the second new ball, spearing a full delivery through Young's defences.
But there was more misery to come for Northern, with Andy McKay (18) combining with Morgan in a last wicket stand of 50 before Adams and McKay swept aside their top order.
CD V WELLINGTON
Central Districts batted themselves into strong contention at the halfway point of their match in Napier.
In response to competition leaders Wellington's 373, the bottom-placed Central reached 245 for three on the second day at McLean Park.
The fightback was built around an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 120 between Tim Weston and Greg Hay, who both made half-centuries.
CANTERBURY V OTAGO
Otago revealed their stubborn side but it may not be enough for them to save the match against Canterbury.
They had the better of much of the second day of the four-day fixture at QEII Park in Christchurch before the loss of three late wickets left them on 213 for six, 185 runs short of earning first innings points.
It was still a much better position to that in which they found themselves yesterday morning as Canterbury resumed at a powerful 322 for five.
Apart from Andrew Ellis, who advanced from his overnight score of 20 to post a fine 66, Canterbury offered little resistance yesterday and would be disappointed their innings closed at 397.
- additional reporting NZPA
