A solid 134-run opening partnership between Rob Nicol and Michael Papps enabled Canterbury to reach to a useful 218 for four after the first day of their Plunket Shield four-day match against Otago in Queenstown yesterday.
Papps, in particular, was in fine touch whacking 11 boundaries in his innings of 83. Nicol was more circumspect and found himself pinned down by some tight bowling.
Experienced seamer Warren McSkimming persisted with a niggly line and Mat Harvie bowled well in spurts but released the pressure valve with the odd loose delivery.
Unable to break through, Otago skipper Craig Cumming called on left-arm spinner Nick Beard. Fresh from a six-wicket bag in the dramatic 24-run win against Auckland last week, Beard caught Nicol in two minds.
Undecided whether to come forward the batsman rocked back to an arm ball and was trapped deep in his crease and right in front for 42.
Papps went in similar fashion. He looked poised to bring up his 18th first-class century but was caught hovering on the crease after Sam Wells got a delivery to skid through and trapped the diminutive right-hander.
Beard then featured in Peter Fulton's dismissal when the Canterbury captain was on 25, taking a tricky catch in the swirling southerly a metre or so inside the square leg boundary off the bowling of Anthony Bullick.
Harvie swung the momentum slightly back Otago's way when he picked up a bonus wicket on the last ball of the day, Johann Myburgh dismissed for 33 after edging the ball through to wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder.
Stumps were drawn with Myburgh's dismissal, leaving Dean Brownlie not out on 19.
• It was the turn of two teenagers to expose Wellington's shortcomings yesterday.
Central Districts seam bowlers Doug Bracewell (19) and Adam Milne (17) combined to roll Wellington for 250 on the opening day of their four-day fixture at McLean Park in Napier.
Bracewell's reward was career-best figures of five for 47, his first five-wicket bag at first-class level in his 10th match, while Milne, in his second game at this level, also impressed in taking four for 49.
Their opening batsmen then survived seven overs to stumps, with Jamie How and Brad Patton set to resume today on 13 and 10 respectively with Central Districts 25 without loss.
• Northern Districts underlined why its leads the Plunket Shield competition by dominating Auckland in Whangarei yesterday.
The home side was on top after the first day of the four-day fixture at Cobham Oval, reaching 36 for two at stumps after dismissing Auckland for 226 in its first innings.
Auckland had little to show for its decision to bat first as the Northern Districts bowlers hunted as a pack in the eighth round match to claim the first-day honours in emphatic style.
