Otago toiled hard, but the last 30 minutes of its Plunket Shield match at the Basin Reserve was a tough watch.
Wellington’s Nick Kelly stroked an unbeaten 118 to help his side reach 297 for seven.
For a hot minute, it looked like the former Otago left-hander might run out of partners as he chased his ninth first-class century.
Otago’s Matt Bacon sliced through the top order and the middle order melted away.
But wrist spinner Peter Younghusband is well-rehearsed at scoring annoying runs — and struck again.
His unbeaten 58 propped up Kelly’s run towards the milestone.
Once his mate had reached three figures, Younghusband teed off.
The late onslaught shifted the complexion of the day.
Rain delayed the start of play and wiped out the best part of 20 overs.
Otago elected to bowl and enjoyed early success.
Bacon (three for 51) was in fine form during the one-day competition and found the red ball was behaving nicely as well.
He dropped on to a good line and length and removed both openers quickly.
Nick Greenwood got a healthy edge through to wicketkeeper Max Chu, and Sam Mycock made a poor decision to pull and got a top edge.
Wellington were two down for 17, but rallied through Tim Robinson and Kelly.
They added 59.
Robinson slashed seven fours and raced through to 40 before edging a delivery from Bacon to first slip.
Kelly was more patient — unless the bowlers dropped short, then he thumped it.
He scored most of his runs in a 180 degree arc from backward point to mid-wicket.
Kelly did not initially get the help he needed from the other end, though.
Muhammad Abbas (29) and Jesse Tashkoff (20) got set but perished. Tom Blundell (7) and Logan van Beek (0) could not get going.
It looked as though Kelly might run out of partners.
Enter Younghusband. He helped ease Kelly through to the milestone then switched on the turbo.
He whacked Andrew Hazeldine for three fours and danced down the wicket to send a couple of deliveries from Dean Foxcroft to the straight boundary for a four and six.
The six bought up his 50.
• In Hamilton, Canterbury’s Fraser Sheat took three for 26 to help roll Northern Districts for 278 at Seddon Park. Joe Carter stitched the innings together with a knock of 132. Canterbury was 61 for two in reply.
Central Districts captain Tom Bruce clobbered an undefeated 212 and combined in a Stags record 292-run stand for the fourth wicket with Dane Cleaver (115) to put his side in a dominant position against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval. They are 414 for four.
WELLINGTON
First innings
S Mycock c Muller b Bacon 12
N Greenwood c Chu b Bacon 0
T Robinson c Carter b Bacon 40
N Kelly not out 118
M Abbas c Cumming b McKay 29
T Blundell c Chu b Hazeldine 7
J Tashkoff b Foxcroft 20
L van Beek lbw b McKay 0
P Younghusband not out 58
Extras (6lb, 4wd, 3nb):13
Total (for 7 wkts in 77 overs):297
Fall: 1-6, 2-17, 3-76, 4-130, 5-151, 6-195, 7-196.
Bowling: A Hazeldine 18-2-88-1 (3wd), M Bacon 17-4-51-3, T Muller 16-3-40-0, J McKay 13-1-66-2 (1w, 3nb), D Foxcroft 12-2-44-1, J Cumming 1-0-2-0.
