After Otago was all out for 203 on day one of their first Plunket Shield clash in Napier yesterday, the visitors made a good start in the field.
They held Central to 63 for four at stumps and will be looking for an early breakthrough.
Leo Carter was a safe pair of hands, taking three catches at slip, while captain Luke Georgeson, Travis Muller, Jake Gibson and Jarrod McKay picked up a wicket each.
Earlier, Otago opted to bat first and got off to a shaky start.
Hunter Kindley, on debut, went for a duck in the opening over and opener Thorn Parkes went for one in the sixth over.
Dale Phillips found a nice boundary but he, too, went soon after.
It left Otago in early trouble at three for 13 after seven overs.
Georgeson (20) and Carter (38) steadied things but the batting was largely picked off after that.
Wicketkeeper Max Chu was the best for Otago, guiding them through to the finish with 85, including 13 boundaries.
He combined with Muller (31) to add 71 for the ninth wicket to help Otago reach 203.
Brett Randell was the pick of the bowlers for Central, taking four for 21, and Blair Tickner nabbed three for 38.
In the other games, Wellington seamer Logan van Beek took five for 53 as Auckland was dismissed for 184 in Wellington.
Bevon Jacobs top-scored for Auckland with 75.
Wellington trail by 58 with four wickets in hand, with van Beek unbeaten on 37.
Canterbury opener Chad Bowes scored 107 runs to help his team against Northern Districts in Christchurch.
Canterbury declared at 361 for nine late yesterday and Northern Districts will resume this morning at 11 without loss.
PLUNKET SHIELD
Otago
T Parkes c Heaphy b Tickner 1
H Kindley c Boyle b Randell 0
D Phillips c Schaw b Randell 10
L Georgeson b Tickner 20
L Carter c Clark b Randell 38
L Johnson c Heaphy b Tickner 7
M Chu st Cleaver b Lennox 85
J Gibson c Cleaver b Randell 0
Z Cumming c Tickner b Clark 0
T Muller c Cleaver b Lennox 31
J McKay not out 1
Extras (1lb, 6w, 3nb) 10
Total (all out, 64.4overs) 203
Fall: 1-1, 2-7, 3-13, 4-59, 5-74, 6-105,
7-105, 8-111, 9-182, 10-203
Bowling: B Randell 11.1-3-21-4, B Tickner 17-4-38-3(2w), R Toole 17-1-63-0(3w), W Clark 8-1-41-1(1w), J Lennox 11.3-1-39-2.
CENTRAL
J Boyle c Carter b Georgeson 5
C Heaphy c Carter b Muller 4
B Schmulian c Chu b McKay 21
T Bruce c Carter b Gibson 18
D Cleaver not out 5
J Lennox not out 2
Extras (4b, 2lb, 1w, 1nb) 8
Total (for 4 wickets, 31 overs) 63
Fall: 1-8, 2-35, 3-54, 4-56
Bowling: L Georgeson 10-4-16-1(1w), T Muller 8-5-12-1, J McKay 7-1-15-1, J Gibson 6-1-14-1(1nb).
