KEY POINTS:
In-form seam bowlers Chris Martin and Andre Adams helped Auckland clamp control on the first day of their State Championship match against Wellington yesterday.
In a low-scoring affair at the Basin Reserve, new ball pair Martin and Adams were the chief destroyers as Wellington were skittled for 103.
Wellington opening bowler Iain O'Brien struck back in even more impressive style as Auckland stuttered to 157 for seven by stumps.
The home attack was virtually a one-man force as O'Brien ended the day with six for 51.
Only 40 runs from Martin Guptill and an unbeaten 51 by wicketkeeper Rhys Jones helped Auckland gain the first innings honours.
Nobody from Wellington could go past 20 with the bat. Allrounder Grant Elliott topscored with 19 as his team struggled to combat the accuracy and movement of Martin, who took four for 29 off 14 overs.
Martin was supported by Adams who took three for 33 and Lance Shaw who took two for nine off 10.
Shaw had taken five wickets in their win last week over Central Districts.
ND v CD
Honours were even between competition leaders Northern Districts and Central Districts at Gisborne.
Central were dismissed for 305 shortly before stumps at Harry Barker Reserve, and the hosts made 10 without loss in the four overs they faced.
Matthew Sinclair and Greg Hay, the mainstay of Central's innings with scores of 78 and 66 respectively, shared a third-wicket partnership of 97.
Once the pair were separated wickets fell steadily as Central failed to push on from 157 for two.
Opening bowler Graeme Aldridge was the best for Northern, knocking over the top three batsmen on the way to figures of four for 65.
"Our middle order will be disappointed they didn't kick on," Central coach Graham Barlow said.
"But overall I'd say the game was evenly poised."
CANTERBURY v OTAGO
Opener Michael Papps was the dominant figure as Canterbury laid the foundations of a decent first innings score against Otago in Christchurch.
By stumps an unbeaten Papps had reached 143, more than half of his team's 279 for five off 100 overs.
It was a mix of aggression and steady accumulation from the diminutive former New Zealand test opener, who faced 290 balls and struck 22 fours at QEII Park Village Green.
He dominated an opening stand of 111 with Todd Astle, who scored 38 and captain Chris Harris later compiled 25.
Bradley Scott took two for 60 while the tight bowling of Nic Turner and Nathan McCullum saw 45 runs conceded from their 33 combined overs.
- NZPA
