Auckland are well-placed to press for the victory they need at the halfway mark of their Plunket Shield clash with Canterbury.
Following today's second day at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, Auckland trail the hosts' first-innings score by 148 runs but retain seven wickets in hand.
With two days to play, the onus is on Auckland to push for a win, with the visitors trailing leaders Canterbury by 19 points heading into the match.
That deficit has been reduced by one on the balance of bonus points - with the opportunity for both sides to accrue more tomorrow - but Auckland really require the 12 points awarded to the winners.
Just two rounds remain in the Plunket Shield following the current set of games and any of the six sides can still claim the trophy, given the condensed nature of the standings.
If fifth-placed Auckland are to claim the prize for the first time since 2009, they need to add to the solitary victory they have managed in the opening seven rounds. The chances of that improved today, with Auckland ending the day in prime position to establish a first-innings advantage.
Having reached 255-7 after being sent in by Gareth Hopkins, Canterbury looked set to score some crucial lower-order runs through a fruitful partnership between Rob Nicol and Todd Astle.
But after adding 40, the eighth-wicket stand was snapped at 82 when Astle was caught for 44 from the bowling of Colin Munro. And the Auckland allrounder was back into the action eight overs later, when he trapped Ryan McCone in front for 13.
Canterbury's innings came to a close the following over, with Hamish Bennett edging one to Hopkins to fall for four at the hands of Bruce Martin. Nicol was stranded on 66 not out, while Munro and Colin de Grandhomme were the best of the visitors' attack, combining for six wickets.
In reply, Auckland got off to an inauspicious start when Jeet Raval was removed for five by McCone. But Martin Guptill - one possible replacement if the national selectors opt to drop either Peter Fulton or Hamish Rutherford - steadied the ship with Anaru Kitchen.
The partnership stood at 107 and Guptill reached 50 when Andrew Ellis struck, combining with Tom Latham to send the opener back to the pavilion. Kitchen didn't last much longer before he too fell at the hands of Ellis, dismissed for a well-made 72.
Craig Cachopa scored slowly, taking 113 balls for his 28, but he survived until stumps and will resume tomorrow morning with Munro (21no) at the other end.
If Auckland are to upset the leaders, second-placed Otago stand to be the biggest benefactors, trailing their southern neighbours by just seven points entering the round. And after two days of their match against Central Districts, Otago are well-placed to take advantage of any slip-up.
The Volts trail Central Districts by 138 runs with eight wickets in hand in the first innings, set to push on and establish an imposing lead tomorrow.
After a rain-interrupted opening day, the hosts resumed on 93-1 at Saxton Oval in Nelson, adding only 24 runs to their overnight score before Ben Smith pushed a Jimmy Neesham delivery to the returned Jesse Ryder and departed for 54.
Will Young went the next ball and, while Greg Hay saw off the hat-trick delivery, Carl Cachopa fell a few overs later for 49. Hay (45) and Kieran Noema-Barnett (74) stemmed the bleeding and put on 114 for the sixth wicket but both then fell in quick succession.
With Neesham (4-74) and Nathan McCullum (3-36) combining to wrap up the tail, CD were soon all out for 307, having earned two bonus points to Otago's four.
The visitors then went to work with the bat and, after losing Neil Broom for 12, Aaron Redmond raced through to 80 not out at stumps. With Michael Bracewell departing for 35, Redmond will be joined tomorrow by Ryder, who hit an unbeaten 40 from 55 balls after coming in at No 4.
The other match of the round, a mid-table meeting between Wellington and Northern Districts, saw no play at Karori Park. If conditions clear tomorrow, ND will resume of 169-2.
- By Kris Shannon of APNZ
