After the first day against the Auckland side in Invercargill in their latest Plunket Shield match, neither side has the upper hand.
Auckland was 273 for six at stumps as it failed to kick on from what was at one time looking like a handy position.
The visiting side had won the toss. The game did not get under way until 1.15pm, a delay of nearly three hours, and lunch was taken early.
Auckland lost its first wicket at just 15 when Will O’Donnell was bowled by Michael Rae.
That brought the fast-scoring Glenn Phillips to the crease and he did not waste any time.
He was hitting the ball to all parts of the ground and the Auckland run rate accelerated very quickly.
Phillips had his 50 in 47 minutes, off 38 balls, and then raced through to 92 off just 61 balls.
But he tried to hit Rae out of the ground over point and picked out Nick Kelly, who gleefully took the catch.
Phillips hit 74 of his runs in boundaries, including five sixes.
Robbie O’Donnell held the Auckland innings together for the rest of the day. He has been the leading run-scorer in the Ford Trophy and continued that theme, though was nowhere near as fast.
He racked up the same score as Phillips by the end of the day, unbeaten on 92. He took nearly four hours to get there, and faced 156 balls.
With him is Will Somerville, who is unbeaten on two.
Otago plugged away all day and Angus McKenzie, making his first class debut, picked up a wicket.
He had Auckland new boy Cole Briggs caught in the gully by Anaru Kitchen. Rae took three wickets.
Otago will want to clean up the tail early today and hope to get in and enjoy the best of the batting. Fine weather is forecast for Invercargill today.
At Mount Maunganui, Northern Districts had a disappointing day against Wellington. The home team batted first and was out for 246. Ben Sears took four wickets for Wellington and Jamie Gibson took three wickets as no-one in the Northern Districts side scored a half century. In reply, Wellington was 31 without loss at stumps.
The other match of the round between Canterbury and Central Districts will start today in Rangiora.
