The day after Dimitri Mascarenhas was named as the next Black Caps bowling coach his provincial side was struggling to take a wicket.
The Northern Districts opening pair of Dean Brownlie and Brad Wilson put on a Knights' record stand for the first wicket against Otago of 214, eclipsing the previous mark of 151 set by Geoff Howarth and Rod Fulton in Gisborne in 1974-75.
Brownlie eventually speared a catch to Michael Bracewell from the bowling on Craig Smith on 128 - his 10th first-class hundred.
Without test bowler Neil Wagner in the line-up, Otago's attack lacked potency and Northern reached 327 for two by stumps on day one in Hamilton yesterday.
Wilson passed his previous highest first-class score of 151 and is undefeated on 156.
Joe Carter perished late in the day for 34 with Jacob Duffy getting reward for some hard toil.
Carisbrook-Dunedin leg spinner Rhys Phillips got through an enormous workload in his first day of Plunket Shield cricket, bowling 28 overs.
In Nelson, Canterbury's Andrew Ellis posted his fifth first-class hundred to help his side reached 463 for nine declared. The former Black Caps all-rounder then picked up three wickets in Central Districts reply. At stumps on day two Central is 215 for five.
Auckland opener Jeet Raval (137 not out) and punishing middle-order batsman Colin Munro (86 not out) got their side through to 271 for two when bad light brought an early end to day two at Colin Maiden Park. Earlier, Wellington resumed on 295 for seven and reached 344.
Lockie Ferguson took a career-best four for 46.
