Daniel Flynn and Corey Anderson set up camp in the middle of Seddon Park this morning and proceeded to take apart Otago's bowling attack as they put Northern Districts in a great position on day three of their Plunket Shield clash in Hamilton.
The pair of left-handers came together early in the day with the score at 154-3 following the departure of James Marshall after the Knights resumed play on 120-2.
Anderson, who made his first-class debut for Canterbury as a 16-year-old in 2007, then went about putting up a huge individual total as he recorded his maiden hundred in the whites before he was eventually dismissed for 167.
His previous best effort in 19 four-day games was an unbeaten 88 and he had only past 50 twice before.
The 21-year-old's knock included 28 fours and his partnership of 283 with Flynn was a Northern Districts record for the fourth wicket.
Northern eventually declared their innings closed at 533-6 when Flynn was dismissed for 182 after blasting 17 fours and half a dozen sixes.
Flynn's century - his 11th for Northern Districts and 12th in first-class cricket - saw him take sole ownership of the most centuries for the domestic side as he moved past Graeme Hick who registered 10.
Flynn will shortly join the Black Caps for their two-test series against Sri Lanka in the sub-continent and today's knock confirmed the 27-year-old will head overseas in good form.
Northern's mammoth second innings meant that despite recording a first-innings deficit of 94, they set Otago 440 to win.
Otago found the going tough late in the day's play as they were put in to bat with 10 overs left in the evening and they lost openers Aaron Redmond and Hamish Rutherford who both fell to the bowling of James Baker.
At the close of play Otago were 12-2 with Michael Bracewell unbeaten on four and night watchman Neil Wagner also at the crease on five, while Baker finished with 2-7 from five overs.
On day four, Otago will have it all ahead of them if they want to avoid defeat and need another 428 runs for an unlikely victory, while Northern Districts need eight more wickets to win.
In Napier, Central Districts are in complete control of their match against Auckland at Nelson Park.
After Auckland began the day at 80-4 in their first innings they were bowled out for 210 as Andrew Lamb finished with 4-65, while No 8 Bruce Martin was the unlikely top-scorer for the visitors with an unbeaten 56.
After Central Districts captain Kieran Noema-Barnett enforced the follow on, Auckland went back in to bat and finished the day on 210-7, still 10 runs behind after CD made 430-9 declared in their first innings.
In Auckland's second innings Tarun Nethula carried on his promising effort in the match as he finished the day with 3-36 after he also snagged 3-30 in the first dig.
Auckland will need a huge effort from their tail-enders on day four if they are to set Central Districts a total of any substance or avoid an innings defeat.
