An outstanding innings from Chris Cairns gave Canterbury the advantage, and an unbroken 73-run stand for the fourth wicket by Chris Harris (43) and Gary Stead (42) was closing the game down for the home team.

Once again the drinks break provided a breakthrough, and a welcome one from Northern Districts' viewpoint as it was Cairns who was out. Facing Graham Aldridge, he played what was, by his standards of the day, an ineffectual shot which saw the ball take the edge of the bat and fly to the right of wicket-keeper Robbie Hart who dived to pull in a good catch which left Canterbury on 94 for three.

Cairns scored 63 off 41 balls, his half-century breaking the New Zealand record for its haste as it came off 20 balls. He hit two sixes and 10 fours.

Gary Stead and Chris Harris then emulated the example that had been given them earlier in the day when Michael Parlane and Scott Styris scored 145 runs for the third wicket.

Given the impetus the innings had been given by Cairns they had time to spare and they worked the ball around.

Harris did give a vital chance when on 32. He hit a well struck blow back to bowler Matt Hart, but he wasn't able to hold it. At that stage, in the 26th over, Canterbury were 145 for three wickets.

By the 30-over mark, ND were beginning to rue that mistake as the runs began to count down. Canterbury were 167 for three.

Amazingly, given the very windy conditions for most of the day, no wides or no balls had been conceded by the bowlers of either team.

He hit two sixes and nine fours in his innings and in the process he took 22 and 29 off successive overs by Ian Butler forcing him out of the attack after five overs with figures of one for 59. It was thought the 29 runs, which included a no ball, were the most off a bowler in an over in one-day cricket in New Zealand.

His innings beat the 22 balls it took Matthew Maynard, the Glamorgan professional, playing for Otago against Auckland at Alexandra in 1997/98 while Mark Greatbatch's 23-ball 50 for Central Districts against Otago at Pukekura Park in 1996/97 is now the third fastest.

By the 15-over mark, Canterbury were 94 for two wickets, Cairns was on 63 and Gary Stead was on 14.

Shanan Stewart took two boundaries, one each to fine leg and third man, before bowler Daryl Tuffey hit back and bowled him for eight, to set Canterbury's chase back with the score on 13 in the third over.

Craig McMillan joined Michael Papps but off the fifth ball of the fourth over he played a ball onto his wickets to be out for a duck, Canterbury were 14 for two.

The sixth over, the third bowled by Ian Butler, was full of incident. The first ball lifted on Papps and hit him on the side of the head after finding its way between the grill and the peak of the helmet. Papps had to leave the field with his score on six.

Chris Cairns replaced him and took to the bowling as if there were no problems at all. Four boundaries in the five balls he faced, two cover driven and two through mid-wicket.

Graham Aldridge and Joseph Yovich were brought into the attack and had an immediate impact when having only 14 runs come from their four overs.

His 122 was his highest one-day score, beating the 111 that was the best of his two previous centuries, before he was dismissed, caught at backward square leg by Carl Anderson from Craig McMillan's bowling. Parlane faced 142 balls with seven fours and five sixes.

He had shared a fine stand for the third wicket that was worth 145 runs with Scott Styris and helped ND reach 267 for six wickets.

Styris brought up his seventh half-century in domestic one-day cricket, scored off 67 balls, with a heave to mid-wicket, a rare chance for him to free his arms.

There was a minimum of risk as the pair quietly and confidently built their stand.

Styris was especially severe on Carl Anderson's eighth over pulling a ball for four runs and then launching into six over long on.

Parlane had a lucky break on 92. He hit a six off McMillan. Outfielder Peter Fulton ran around the boundary and made the catch, and realising he was about to topple over the boundary, he threw the ball back infield and once regaining his balance he caught the ball again, but television replays showed he still had a foot outside the field of play.

Parlane went to 98, but before he could claim his century, he lost Styris. It was an interesting dismissal.

The ball before from Chris Harris saw Styris pull away from the crease just before the bowler made the delivery. The ball hit the wickets but was ruled dead.

But off the next ball Styris launched into a big drive but found Gary Stead at extra cover in perfect position to take the catch. Styris was out for 70, scored off 76 balls with five fours and a six. The partnership was 145, scored off 171 balls.

Harris completed his 10 overs with one for 34.

Parlane, who had brought up the side's 200 when he hit his six, then brought up his century with a single into the off-side. It was his third Shield century and was scored off 131 balls and included six fours and three sixes.

Matthew Hart took an over to get a feel for the pitch and then launched into the attack hitting successive boundaries, one through square leg and one cut behind point, off Chris Martin, before attempting to hit Craig McMillan behind square. The ball lobbed from his bat to Chris Cairns standing at short fine leg on the circle where the catch was taken.

ND were 220 for four with Hart out for 12.

Joseph Yovich joined Parlane and took four runs from the first ball he faced.

Parlane, in the 48th over, hit a huge six from Martin's bowling as he stepped down the leg-side and then effortlessly lifted the ball over the wide long on boundary. He followed that with two off-driven and then four cut past point to move to 116 and then hit another six to long off. Twenty-three runs came from the over. Martin ended with one for 58 from his nine overs.

However, there was some respite for Canterbury in the 49th over, Yovich was bowled by McMillan for 11 and Parlane followed two balls later. McMillan finished with four wickets for 42 runs from his 10 overs.

Hamish Marshall and Robbie Hart worked the ball around in the final over, bowled by Carl Anderson, and took 14 runs for ND to end on 267 for six wickets.

Michael Parlane was the leading light and scored his 16th half-century to lift his career record past 2500 runs. He scored his half-century off 67 balls and helped ND to 121 runs off 30 overs. Parlane hit two sixes and four fours in his 50.

Scott Styris had helped him add an unbroken 63 runs for the third wicket and was 31 not out at that stage.

The portents were for a high-scoring game on one of the better looking pitches offered up for the series this year.

Parlane built his innings well after a solid start and once losing the quicker scoring James Marshall, he re-established the innings and momentum. He lost Mark Orchard who scored six in the 15th over.

However, Styris joined him and the pair worked the bowling around with ease to minimise the risk while also managing to punich the odd loose ball.

Craig McMillan did a fine job in restraining the ND assault, bowling into the strong wind for six overs and conceding only 17 runs while picking up Orchard's wickets.

Spinner Carl Anderson replaced McMillan but he was worked around with ease with 20 runs coming from his five overs.

Chris Harris bowled with the wind and conceded only 10 runs from his four overs.

Choosing to bat first, especially in the severe winds that were blowing, was a wise option on a pitch that looked capable of some high run scoring.

ND were 58 for two at the break with Michael Parlane 28 not out and the incoming batsman Scott Styris was still to score.

James Marshall dominated the early scoring, although the problems with the wind saw free runs available at the northern end of the ground as Canterbury saw little point in using slips fieldsmen as the bowlers had to struggle their way into a strong and gusty wind.

But as more runs came through that area, captain Gary Stead soon plugged it.

He did have one piece of luck when recovering his ground as a run out was attempted at the bowler's end. The wicket was broken but when the third umpire was called into play, it showed that Marshall had just regained his ground.

The ball went on for three overthrows.

However, Marshall's innings came to an end soon after when Chris Martin got a ball through his defences and he was bowled for 24 when Northern Districts were on 39.

Mark Parlane had been unable to get much of the strike during the early stages but once he got going, he was quickly into attacking vein. He was especially severe on Stephen Cunis in the final over of his first spell hitting a four, and then launching into a lovely lofted straight drive for six.

Cunis, who had the unenviable task of bowling into the wind, ended his four over spell with 23 runs from his bowling.

Mark Orchard struggled to get going and took 18 balls over two runs. He hit a boundary by pulling a ball from Craig McMillan to mid-wicket then trying to repeat the shot he pulled a simple chance to Stead at short mid-wicket to be dismissed for six.

Martin, who had one for 16 from his first five overs, and Hayden Shaw had found some assistance in the pitch bowling with the wind at their backs.

Vettori injured his groin during practice yesterday and has been left out of the side as a precautionary move before the side leaves for the World Cup in South Africa on Monday.

But it was wind in Timaru that was of immediate concern today. The nor-westerly arrived in force and created some chaos.

A sponsor's marquee was blown inside out and onto the outfield of the ground with a spectator caught up in the resulting debris.

SKY Television has pulled its cameras off scaffolding at both ends of the ground and will be shooting off-line and slightly above ground level.

Northern Districts won the toss and will bat first. With Vettori's injury Michael Parlane will open with James Marshall.

Canterbury have made no changes to the side that beat Wellington at the weekend.

The teams are:

Canterbury: Gary Stead (captain), Michael Papps, Shanan Stewart, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Peter Fulton, Carl Anderson, Hayden Shaw, Stephen Cunis, Chris Martin. (Paul Wiseman - 12th man).

Northern Districts: Robbie Hart (captain), Daniel Vettori, James Marshall, Matt Hart, Scott Styris, Michael Parlane, Hamish Marshall, Mark Orchard, Joe Yovich, Graham Aldridge, Daryl Tuffey, Ian Butler.