Wellington has batted itself into a safe position in its Plunket Shield game against Otago at the Basin Reserve.
The home team resumed on 217 for two yesterday and declared at 403 for five. Michael Pollard was the chief contributor. The 23-year-old posted his second first-class century.
He had resumed day three on 38 and patiently added to his total. He brought his hundred up 10 minutes shy of a five-hour stay at the crease. He was undefeated on 124 when captain James Franklin declared, conceding a first-innings deficit of 131.
Wellington had secured four batting bonus points and there was little to be achieved by batting on.
Otago was 138 for four at stumps with an overall lead of 269.
Sam Wells is undefeated on 42 and Derek de Boorder at the wicket with him on six.
Coach Vaughn Johnson said it was up to his side to get into a position to set an enticing target. But complicating matters is that Otago will be without seamer Ian Butler. He has injured his back and will not bowl again.
He will have a scan today but there are concerns it is a recurrence of a bulging disk he suffered in 2004 which threatened to end his career.
''It is not good at all,'' Johnson said.
''He has had problems with his back before and it is a recurrence, so we need to get the scans and have a look and see how he is.''
Butler was going to join the Black Caps in Sri Lanka for the one-day and twenty20 series in November but may be ruled out, depending on the outcome of the scan.
In terms of the game, Butler's injury will leave Otago a seamer down.
Any declaration, if Otago can get into a position to make one, is likely to be conservative.
''At the moment we are trying to get some parity in this innings but we'll have a look at it tomorrow.''
Stephen Murdoch began the day alongside Pollard and had hoped to add to his haul of five hundreds. He resumed on 82 but nicked out on 96.
Blair Soper provided the delivery and Aaron Redmond grabbed the catch.
Spinner Mark Craig secured another breakthrough, bowling Franklin for six. But any hope of a dramatic collapse faded after Luke Woodcock added 40 and Luke Ronchi chipped in with an undefeated 34.
Pollard batted on and on. He hit 19 fours and three sixes in his long vigil.
Mark Gillespie made a double breakthrough for Wellington, removing Neil Broom for 13 and first innings century-maker Michael Bracewell for one. The zippy seamer was ineffective in the first innings, bowling 30 wicketless overs and conceding 136 runs. He also offered up five no balls. But he was more challenging yesterday and found the edge twice.
Andy McKay also induced a mistake. This time it was Aaron Redmond (39) making the error. Ronchi grabbed his third catch, and then a fourth to dismiss Jesse Ryder (28), when he nicked out to Brent Arnel, leaving Otago 110 for four.
