Otago set itself up for victory yesterday by putting together a hefty second innings total of 353 for nine wickets off 91 overs.
Neil Broom was the backbone of the Otago effort, scoring his 15th century for the Volts, and his 18th overall in first class cricket. He scored 161 off 226 balls in just over five hours.
He scored nearly 100 runs in boundaries and never looked in any trouble on a pitch that is becoming much more suitable for batting.
When the game ended yesterday after a delay of more than an hour for bad light and then rain, Auckland was placed at 101 for two wickets. It needs another 272 runs to win.
It had lost Jeet Ravel and Robbie O'Donnell and was digging in, making painfully slow progress, scoring one run in five overs before leaving the field.
Showers are forecast for today so the weather may have the final say.
Otago captain Brad Wilson paid tribute to the batting of Broom and his century.
``Broomy is a great player. He's just had a summer in Derby and it is is good to have him back,'' Wilson said.
``He has been a good player for years and a great player for Otago. You take his runs out of the innings and obviously it is a fair contribution.
``It is big moments when he is scoring the runs. He is obviously a big part of our team. He's a good man in the changing room, good for our culture and good for our side.''
Yesterday, Otago had to do without opener Ryan Duffy, who has been ruled out of the match.
He was hit by a bouncer from Auckland paceman Lockie Ferguson and the ball rebounded off his helmet and fell on to the wicket.
Wilson said the side had talked about Duffy's absence and how it would motivate them.
``He's just had a couple of headaches. You want to be safe rather than sorry. When someone goes down everyone has to chip in to make up for that loss.''
Wilson said after the lifeless pitch in the first game in Nelson it was good to play on the wicket at the Eden Park outer Oval which still had life in it on the third day.
Otago will want to get wickets early today and Neil Wagner looms as a key part of the equation.
He did not bowl yesterday as he took a blow to the shoulder when batting. He hopes to get back to the bowling crease today.
Meanwhile, international Henry Nicholls starts today in sight of what would be his fifth first-class century, with Canterbury holding an overall lead of 32 over Central Districts.
The host is 229 for five, Nicholls on 91 after just over four hours at the crease.
Earlier, Dane Cleaver made his second first-class hundred, 104, in CD's first innings 399, giving them a 197-run first innings lead.
Wellington has its nose in front in a rain-affected match at the Basin Reserve against Northern Districts.
ND made 285 and Wellington start the last day at 299 for five, veteran Luke Woodcock's eighth first-class 100 providing a large chunk of the runs.
Michael Pollard made 68 while Scott Kuggeleijn followed his century with three wickets in a solid all-round performance. - Additional reporting NZME.
