With the second ball of his third over Hart trapped Pryor into a lusty heave toward midwicket where a diving James Marshall just failed to hold a very difficult catch. To Hart's next ball Nicol tried one of the straight drives he fancies, but mis-timed the stroke. The ball floated up and deep behind the bowler and three Northern Districts fieldsmen converged on the chance.

Yovich, who had furthest to travel, must have called the louder for the catch, so the two closest fieldsmen stopped -- only to find the ball dropping to the ground only two or three metres away.

Matthew Hart looked most annoyed at this simple error, and bowled again at Pryor. This time the Auckland drove firmly, but the ball went straight back to Hart, and there was no possibility he would drop this chance.

So Auckland had slumped to 77 for five from 20.5 overs and inched up to 82 at the 25-over halfway mark. The progress was so deliberate that by the time Auckland reached 91 the last 20 runs had come from singles, or no-balls. Styris was not helped the Auckland scoring rate, for at one stage his figures read 6-3-6-0.

Yet Auckland apparently were still in with a chance. After 30 overs Northern Districts had scored 98 for five, whereas Auckland reached the same mark with 93 for five wickets.

However, one ball later Auckland were in deep trouble again. Nicol, the last player with the batsmanship to play a long winning innings, drove Hart straight and about half a metre above the turf. James Marshall raced in from mid-off, speared out a single hand as he dived, and the catch stuck.

Nicol had slaved 94 minutes and faced 59 balls for his 33. The Auckland 100 came from 194 balls and 100 minutes -- the last 50 from 143 balls in 93 minutes.

Adams did not stay long to enjoy the occasion. He had scored two when he had a big heave at Aldridge, missed and was bowled -- Auckland 101 for seven.

This did not seem a bother when Horne started with three quick boundaries and, with Richardson working solidly, Auckland had 23 runs from the first four overs. Horner added another cracking four from Yovich through mid-off, but when he tries another strong drive the timing was not right and James Marshall gathered in the catch deep behind the bowler.

Richardson replied with two boundaries, and Howell signalled his arrival with a cannon-shot of a four through extra cover. Emboldened by that, Howell tried another rocket-like drive, but did not get enough height and at deepish mid-off James Marshall leaped high and held the catch in two hands.

However, Richardson was his usually calm test-match self, and with Nicol settling in quickly Auckland trotted along to 50 from only 51 balls. But again the consistent Northern Districts attack was equal to the task. Aldridge, who had replaced West ( 3-0-16-0) bowled wide of Richard's off stump, the Auckland tried an expansive cut, but go only the edge and Robbie Hart held the low catch safely.

So inside ten overs Auckland had scored 52, but lost the valuable batting of Horne, Howell and Richardson.

Worse was to come when Canning joined Nicol. Canning had a single and the total had only advanced to 53 when Nicol squirted the ball close to the pitch on the off side. As the field fumbled with the ball Canning charged through for the single. Nicol did not respond, Canning had to try and regain his ground, but was run out by metres.

Although Nicol looked safe and sound, and Canning did not take many risks, the Auckland scoring rate slowed and after 16 overs, at drinks, Auckland were 66 for four.

Nicol's first three overs cost 22, so the tidy medium-pacer Nielsen was recalled. He conceded only one from his first over, but in his next over he got the edge of Hart's bat, but the chance eluded Young and went away to the fence. Then came a single to Hart, and then a huge lofted drive from Yovich which seemed certain to be six.

However, on the long off line Horne jumped up, fended the ball infield, came back infield, rifled in a return, and Yovich only got one for the shot.

The next milestone was the century stand by Matthew Hart and Yovich, which came in 77 minutes from 122 balls -- the second 50 in 40 minutes from 56 balls.

Yovich raced through the 60's, having a little luck when a slog toward mid-wicket dropped just short of a diving Walker.

However, Yovich's bold innings ended soon afterward. After so many blazing strokes, he fell to a fiddling little flick at a ball which hit the stumps. Yovich's 70 came in 143 minutes from 90 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. The 112-run Hart-Yovich stand was worth 112 runs from 133 balls in 83 minutes.

Soon after the faithful Matthew Hart reached his half-century in 148 minutes, from 76 balls, and he hit five fours. Aided by his brother Robbie, Matthew Hart steered Northern past 200 in 195 minutes, but then he ran out of luck. From the first ball of the last over Matthew Hart slogged hard, but miscued the shot and Nicol took the catch at deep extra cover.

Robbie Hart and Martin scrambled another nine runs from the last over and Northern Districts finished their innings at 213 for seven.

Canning took over the defensive line from the other end -- with both using tightly-set with six men on the off-side and seven men set to stop the singles.

The ruse seemed to work when Horsley clipped a ball from Canning toward square leg, but Adams dived in vain for what would have been a sensational catch. Horsley celebrated with a solid straight drive for four from Nielsen, Horsley's third boundary which lifted his steady partnership with Hart to 38.

However, the innocent-looking Nelson won that battle for when he dropped short on the off-side, Horsely tried a powerful back-foot drive but got only a faint touch, which Young, standing up, turned into a very neat catch.

At the halfway mark the game was nicely balanced Northern Districts 81 for four wickets.

Suddenly the balance swung toward Acland, as Canning whipped a ball through Horsley's usually solid defence and umpire Hill quickly agreed with Canning's appeal for lbw.

Rather than maintain medium-pace pressure on the Northern batsmen Walker brought himself on with his right-arm leg- spinners. The tall Yovich, another left-hander started slowly but when it seemed as if Northern Districts would drop below a three-runs-an-over rate Hart drove Canning straight and very strongly for four.

Yovich was quickly into top scoring gear, with an impish tickle for four through the vacant slip area followed by a crisp on-drive for three. After 30 overs Northern Districts were 96 for four, and Yovich calmly clipped Walker over mid-on for four to raise the century in the 31st over.

Canning rested with the respectable figures of 9-1-25-1 and Yovich greeted Pryor's bowling by cutting the first ball for four and then driving the third all of the over for another boundary. Yovich raced past Matthew Hart's score of 20 -- Hart had started his innings an hour before Yovich -- with those boundaries and celebrated by straight-driving Walker for a six.

Pryor was replaced after costing 14 runs from two overs, and the two Northern left-handers went comfortably to drinks at 131 for five wickets after 36 overs, with Hart a patient 26 and Yovich 36. Their 50 stand had come in 37 minutes, from 66 balls.

Morgan had the last word, however, when he managed a straight ball which Parlane edged to Young, the Auckland keeper -- making up for the five and one no-ball Morgan had contributed in his first three overs.

James Marshall kept Morgan in the spotlight -- by hooking a long hop off his eyebrows for a stinging boundary. Northern had reached 30 for one after eight overs.

Six runs later Northern appeared to be laying the foundation for a big innings when Adams stopped them in their tracks. With the second ball of his sixth over Adams forced Marshall to hasten a defensive stroke, and the bottom edge went into the stumps.

Out came Styris, with a chance to improve his World Cup selection chances. Instead, it was Adams who knocked on the national selector's door. His fourth ball to Styris cut back from a full length, and Styris was obviously lbw -- but he naturally waited for Tony Hill's call.

So Northern slumped to 36 for three wickets, but then had a rich piece of good luck when Horsley got a solid edge in Morgan's next over, but Horne could not hold the shoulder-high catch.

Adams finished is first spell with the very respectable figures of 6-1-14-2, and with then added bonus that Ross Dykes, one of the national selection panel, was in the smallish crowd.

Horsley and Matthew Hart, both left-handers, then settled down, brought the 50 along after 99 balls and at the first drinks break after 18 overs Northern Districts were 59 for three wickets.

The pitch looked as dead as a dodo in contrast to the fizzy strips on which the Indians have expired on their three major matches in New Zealand so far.] In fact the pitch has been resurrected after being used for the four-day

Auckland-Wellington State championship match earlier this match. The pitch still shows the scars , although the holes dug by the bowlers at each end have been filled with what feels like rolled-flat concrete.

There are some old cracks which may play some tricks later in the day. So Northern Districts captain Robbie Hart quickly decided to bat after winning the toss.

The umpires are Wayne Knights (Auckland) and Tony Hill (Northern Districts), and Aaron Barnes (Auckland) and Mark Orchard (ND) the l2th men. The team for the noon start are:-- Northern Districts: Robbie Hart, Graeme Aldridge, Matthew Hart, Nick Horsley, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Bruce Martin, Michael Parlane, Scott Styris, Gareth West, Joseph Yovich.

Auckland: Brooke Walker (captain), Andre Adams, Tama Canning, Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Richard Morgan, Rob Nicol, Brad Nielsen, Craig Pryor, Mark Richardson, Reece Young.