Neil Broom swept all before him as Otago held the upperhand over Canterbury in their State Championship cricket match in Invercargill today.
Broom scored an unbeaten 140 as Otago progressed from their overnight 234 for five before being dismissed for 352 on the third afternoon of the four-day match at Queen's Park.
Canterbury responded unconvincingly by stumbling to 145 for five by stumps, with first innings points up for grabs tomorrow.
Broom's fifth first-class century left Otago in a strong position to gain first innings points in a match seriously affected by rain on the opening two days.
Walking to the crease this morning on 62, the 25-year-old stayed on top of the Canterbury attack, striking 21 fours from 222 balls faced in an innings which lasted a touch over five hours.
The Canterbury bowlers toiled hard, with seamer Leighton Burtt the standout.
Having gone wicketless yesterday, Burtt captured five for 64 off 13 overs to finish the innings with figures of five for 119 off 26 overs.
Canterbury's response was undermined by left-arm seamer Neil Wagner, who quickly removed opener Todd Astle, Andrew Ellis and Johann Myburgh.
Astle and Myburgh departed without reaching double figures while Ellis at least made 30.
Offspinner Nathan McCullum then accounted for Shanan Stewart for 19 before trapping Michael Papps leg before wicket for 53, leaving Corey Anderson, on 19 not out, and captain Kruger van Wyk, 11 not out, to see their side to stumps.
Wagner was the most successful bowler, taking three for 36, while McCullum had two for 39.
Scoreboard after the third day of the State Championship four-day cricket match between Otago and Canterbury at Queen's Park in Invercargill today:
Otago
First innings (overnight 234-5)
C Cumming c Papps b Ellis 31
S Haig c Ellis b Bennett 52
G Todd c van Wyk b Ellis 31
N Broom not out 140
H Rutherford c Robertson b Ellis 0
N McCullum c Burtt b Davidson 38
D de Boorder c van Wyk b Burtt 11
I Butler b Burtt 12
N Wagner b Burtt 13
M Harvie c Stewart b Burtt 3
J McMillan lbw b Burtt 0
Extras (5b, 3lb, 3w, 10nb) 21
Total (98 overs) 352
Fall: 72, 106, 141, 145, 232, 253, 286, 326, 352, 352.
Bowling: L Burtt 26-2-119-5 (1w, 7nb), M Davidson 30-9-75-1, H
Bennett 13-3-65-1 (1w, 3nb), A Ellis 16-6-35-3, I Robertson
10-3-35-0, T Astle 1-0-5-0, C Anderson 2-0-10-0 (1w).
Canterbury
First innings
T Astle lbw b Wagner 4
M Papps lbw b McCullum 53
A Ellis c de Boorder b Wagner 30
J Myburgh c de Boorder b Wagner 2
S Stewart lbw b McCullum 19
C Anderson not out 19
K van Wyk not out 11
Extras (6lb, 1nb) 7
Total (for 5 wkts, 54 overs) 145
Fall: 6, 66, 68, 107, 114.
Bowling: N Wagner 12-1-36-3 (1nb), M Harvie 9-0-30-0, J McMillan
8-3-14-0, N McCullum 17-4-39-2, I Butler 8-0-20-0.
