The 29-year-old left-hander posted a century on the opening day of Auckland’s Plunket Shield fixture against Otago at the University Oval yesterday.
The Aces reached 341 for seven at stumps and have taken a firm grip on the game.
Chapman was instrumental.
He stroked 20 boundaries during his lengthy stint at the crease.
Everyone knows he can hit. He has shown that at top level against the white ball.
But with his cricket calendar so full, he does not get to demonstrate his skills in the longer format too often.
Chapman looked at ease throughout his fine knock of 123. He combined in two chunky partnerships and played some glorious shots.
Otago made a tidy start with the ball, though.
The batters played and missed enough to create some real excitement in the field.
The breakthrough came reasonably promptly.
Will O’Donnell got an inside edge on a delivery from Travis Muller which swung back.
The opener gave the impression he was not terribly convinced he hit it.
His departure for seven left Auckland 19 for one. But that was to be the only hiccup in the morning season.
Sean Solia was joined by Chapman at the wicket and the partnership flourished.
Chapman cracked away a sparkling on-drive, and Solia sent a delivery skimming across the grass to the long-off boundary.
Batting quickly started to look easy.
Solia continued to pepper the straight boundary and profit that way, whereas Chapman slashed the ball square a little more often.
The Aces went to lunch at 115 for one.
The pair brought up a 100-run partnership shortly after the resumption.
But the introduction of left-arm spinner Ben Lockrose brought success for the Volts. He got the ball to bounce and grip, but the delivery which got Solia was floated up and the batter could not resist.
The left-hander sliced it to Dean Foxcroft at mid-off and was out for a nicely compiled 62.
Robbie O’Donnell’s demise for eight came about from a similar delivery. Lockrose tossed it up, inviting the sweep and got a healthy edge which flew to Jacob Cumming at first slip. He made a safe two-handed grab high to his left.
The floodgate slammed back shut, though.
Chapman and George Worker (44) put on 100 for the fourth-wicket. By the tea break the visitors had the making of a very decent total.
The short interval worked in Otago’s favour. Worker was trapped lbw and Chapman picked out a Jacob Duffy at wide mid-wicket.
Cameron Fletcher (36) and Jock McKenzie (37 not out) added 62 for the sixth wicket to cement Auckland’s control.
Duffy bowled really well without any luck.
It was the spinners, Lockrose (three for 76) and Dean Foxcroft (two for 37), who enjoyed most of the success.
In Rangiora, Canterbury are 404 for four at stumps on day one of their match with Wellington. Openers Chad Bowes (114) and Rhys Mariu (145) did most of the damage.
Central Districts are 317 for seven in their match with Northern Districts at Bay Oval.
