Auckland have completed an incredible fourth-innings chase to secure their first Plunket Shield cricket victory of the season.
Even though the track at Eden Park's outer oval resembled a road and gave little assistance to the bowlers for much of the match, chasing down 409 in little more than a day was an impressive feat.
And Auckland, in last place heading into the round, did it rather easily, overhauling the target set by Northern Districts with nine overs and six wickets to spare.
Colin de Grandhomme, on 98 and needing four to win, hit a boundary off Anton Devcich to seal his century and the win late in the afternoon.
It was appropriate the match finished with a ton after the way bat comprehensively dominated ball throughout the contest. Just 17 wickets fell across the four innings at the cost of more than 1500 runs - an average of 89 a scalp.
Martin Guptill was one of the chief benefactors of the conditions as he prepares for the first ODI against the West Indies on Boxing Day, adding 91 yesterday to his knock of 161 not out in the first innings.
The opener's 134-run stand for the second wicket with Tim McIntosh (93) set the platform for Auckland's victory after some generous declarations from both sides meant a result was possible.
In Wellington, the hosts made no attempt at completing an audacious chase of their own, batting out the final two sessions for a draw in the top-of-the-table clash with Canterbury.
Setting Wellington a target of 395 after lunch was always asking an awful lot, but what was interesting was the contrasting manner in which both openers went about the task.
Michael Papps seemed set to have a real dig, racing out to 50 from 36 balls before slowing down a tad after tea. The former international has been in fine form this summer, averaging 109 from 10 innings in the Plunket Shield, and he brought up his second century of the season to finish unbeaten on 103.
Stephen Murdoch, on the other hand crawled to 17 from 122 balls as Wellington reached 133-0 before the chase was aborted midway through the final session.
Elsewhere, Central Districts managed to survive a nervy afternoon in Dunedin to emerge with a draw from their meeting with Otago.
After wrapping up Otago's first innings for 382 early on the fourth morning of the rain-affected match - handing the hosts a 127-run lead - the wickets tumbled for CD as they looked like presenting a late-day chase for Otago to snatch victory. But Will Young's 99 helped the visitors reach 242-9 at stumps and ensure a share of the spoils.