Northern Districts made a tardy declaration and it may cost it the opportunity to secure an outright win against Otago in the Plunket Shield match at the University Oval.
Another school of thought is the visiting side has deprived Otago an opportunity to pick up valuable first-innings bonus points and has put its opponent under enormous pressure when the game concludes today.
What is clear, though, is that Northern Districts dominated day three. Having resumed on 159 for one, Northern Districts added 119 runs in the morning session and a further 125 runs in the afternoon session before eventually declaring at 482 for five. At stumps Otago was 40 for two.
Most expected the declaration would come earlier in the day.
Changes to the way first-innings points are scored this season means there is not a lot to be gained by batting on past the cut-off point of 110 overs. But Northern batted on for another 22 overs.
With a day and a-half already lost to poor weather it seemed a criminal waste. However, ND's coach Grant Bradburn said there were good reasons for delaying the declaration.
"We wanted to use the new ball twice and it will only be 19 overs old when we bowl [today]," he said.
"There is value in a four-day game in keeping a side in the park and it showed with two quick wickets falling.
"We also chose to score runs now rather than later in the match if need be. Another advantage of going on was to push out the follow-on score."
By batting on Northern Districts has also reduced the amount of time available for Otago to score batting bonus points in its first innings. The trade-off is it now has fewer overs available to take the 18 wickets needed for an outright.
Northern batsman James Marshall started positively, whacking four fours from the second over of the day. Neil Wagner was the guilty bowler and was promptly replaced at the crease by James McMillan with England international Steven Finn operating from the other.
Finn bowled a good length and line and was reaching speeds of 150kmh. But the placid nature of the pitch took a lot of the sting out of his bowling.
It was not too long before off-spinner Nathan McCullum appeared at the crease. Marshall looked to attack the slow bowler but, having played nicely, walked past a delivery on 63.
Watling, who started the day on 67, raised his seventh first-class century when he worked a single off his hip. Joseph Yovich took some time to get established and, at lunch, Northern was 278 for two.
After the break the pair chipped away at milestones. The team's 300 was registered first and then Yovich played a lovely lofted drive, hitting McCullum for six over long off to bring up his half-century.
Watling squirted a single into the offside to raise his 150 and then promptly holed out. McCullum made the catch, running in from the boundary. Sam Wells claimed the prized wicket and then bowled Yovich.
It was an interesting period.
Northern had been attacking looking to reach 400 runs and secure a fourth batting bonus point ahead of the cut-off point.
Otago employed a ring field in an effort to prevent it and was successful with Northern falling 21 runs short.
The expected declaration did not come and, in batting on, Peter McGlashan had time to play a wonderful reverse sweep for six off Aaron Redmond and later raised a half-century.
Northern also set a new ground record, eclipsing the 429 New Zealand scored against Pakistan at the venue in 2009-10.
Two late Graeme Aldridge wickets rounded the day off nicely for the visiting side.
Otago opening batsman Craig Cumming injured his back while fielding and was unable to bat last night. Otago coach Vaughn Johnson described his chances of batting today as 50-50. The former test opener needs another five runs to overtake Bert Sutcliffe as Otago's leading run-scorer.
At Lincoln, Wellington declared its first innings behind in a bid to force a result against Auckland.
The men from the capital called it in at 233 for five after Luke Woodcock brought up his fifth first-class century, in reply to Auckland's first innings of 357 for seven declared.
Auckland pulled the pin on its first dig after the 110-over period for accumulating bonus points had expired and its total was largely inflated due to some hefty striking from overseas import Andre Adams who blasted 79 from 54 balls.
The one-time test player for New Zealand blazed seven fours and four sixes as he and Colin de Grandhomme put on an unbeaten 117 for the eighth wicket.
Auckland finished day three on 43 for two, 167 runs ahead.
In Rangiora, Canterbury also declared its first innings behind at 251 for six in reply to Central Districts' 307.
Former international Peter Fulton top-scored for the home team with 76, while all-rounder Andrew Ellis added a useful 65 not out from No 6.
New cap paceman Roald Badenhorst picked up three for 68 as the Manawatu right-armer was the pick of the bowlers for Central.
Peter Ingram and Jamie How began Central's second innings at a brisk pace but when How was trapped in front for 17 the scoring rate slowed as CD closed the day at 150 for three, 206 runs in front.
Ingram finished with 62 from 79 balls, while veteran Mathew Sinclair (37) and Greg Todd (seven) were both unbeaten at the close of play.
- Additional reporting by APNZ
