This one has draw written all over it.
Otago has inched its way to 181 for three on a sleepy day at Molyneux Park.
Auckland had earlier declared at 351 for nine and leads by 170 with two days to play.
There is a lot of cricket left in the Plunket Shield fixture, but the pace at which the game is being played suggests both teams will be hard-pressed to force a result.
Auckland resumed on 264 for five yesterday. Ben Horne was three short of a third first-class century and Simon Keene had 63 runs in the bank.
Keene blazed a boundary through cover to bring up a new career high. But he was out shortly after for 68.
Jake Gibson nipped a delivery back and collected his off stump.
Horne whipped a delivery from Jacob Duffy to the midwicket boundary to bring up his century off 181 balls.
He clubbed another six boundaries before he eventually holed out for 137 off the bowling of Michael Rae.
Auckland was pressing for a declaration and it came shortly after his departure.
Rae ended up with three for 93. But Jacob Duffy worked hard for his one for 71 from 27 overs, including 12 maidens, and Travis Muller was impressive with two for 40 from 18 overs.
Horne and Keene put on 158 from 208 balls for the sixth wicket in a game that has otherwise been a grind for the batters.
Otago struggled to get the scoreboard going as well.
Hamish Rutherford’s lean run continued. The captain was run out for nine.
Fellow opener Thorn Parkes and Dean Foxcroft put on 82 for the second wicket but it was very slow going. The partnership lasted just over 33 overs.
Foxcroft’s reward was a sixth first-class half century. But after two hours at the crease he got an edge off the bowling of promising 20-year-old wrist spinner Adithya Ashok for 51.
Ashok enjoyed some good fortune to get rid of Parkes for 53. He strayed on to the batter’s pads. Parkes probably should have smashed it but pushed at it and got it as far as Mark Chapman’s right foot.
He was under the helmet in close on the leg side and did well to snatch the rebound.
The Phillips brothers, Glenn (42) and Dale (21), will resume this morning.
- Wellington is 151 for six in reply to Northern Districts’ tally of 405 at Seddon Park, while Central Districts is 52 for four in reply to Canterbury’s 186.
At Sunnyvale, Otago A posted 309 for eight and Canterbury A is 59 for three at stumps on day two of the three-day game. The opening day was rained off.
AUCKLAND
First innings
W O'Donnell c Chu b Gibson 29
S Solia c Chu b Muller 12
M Chapman c Muller b Duffy 11
R O'Donnell b Muller 4
G Worker c Chu b G Phillips 39
B Horne c D Phillips b Rae 137
S Keene b Gibson 68
W Somerville c Rippon b Rae 27
D Ferns c D Phillips b Rae 8
A Ashok not out 2
L Delport not out 3
Extras (3b, 7lb, 1nb) 11
Total (9wkts dec, 116 overs) 351
Fall: 1-38, 2-50, 3-56, 4-56, 5-111, 6-269, 7-336, 8-345, 9-346.
Bowling: J Duffy 27-12-71-1, T Muller 18-6-40-2, M Rae 23-4-93-3, J Gibson 21-8-48-2, G Phillips 18-2-50-1 (1nb), M Rippon 9-0-39-0.
OTAGO
First innings
H Rutherford run out (Keene/Horne) 9
T Parkes c Chapman b Ashok 53
D Foxcroft c W O'Donnell b Ashok 51
G Phillips not out 42
D Phillips not out 21
Extras (2w, 3nb) 5
Total (3wkts, 74 overs) 181
Fall: 1-21, 2-103, 3-129.
Bowling: S Solia 3-1-3-0 (1w), D Ferns 6-2-9-0, W Somerville 17-6-32-0, S Keene 8-2-22-0 (1nb), L Delport 15-0-40-0 (1nb), A Ashok 19-1-65-2 (1nb), R O'Donnell 6-1-10-0 (1w).
