KEY POINTS:
Auckland were in a strong position after the first day of their State Championship match against Central Districts.
Dismissing Central for 181 inside 66 overs at Napier's McLean Park, the Auckland batsmen quickly set about asserting their authority, losing only three wickets for 137 at stumps.
Youngster Colin
de Grandhomme was outstanding, ending the day unbeaten on 65. His partner Rob Nicol was not out 36 and the duo look set to take toll today.
Opener Tim McIntosh scored a lively 20 and captain Richard Jones went cheaply.
The Auckland wickets to fall were shared around.
A Peter Ingram century was the highlight of the CD innings.
Auckland bowler Chris Martin had the CD batsmen in all sorts of trouble, taking five for 38 and Andre Adams made a strong contribution with three for 54.
Opener Ingram put on 105 of CD's runs with Bevan Griggs (31) and Andrew Niblett (38) the only other batsmen to reach double figures.
Canterbury v Wellington
Canterbury's Leighton Burtt continued to make his mark on the domestic cricket scene yesterday, taking a five-wicket bag.
Burtt, an impressive young fast bowler, claimed opening batsman Matthew Bell without score and went on to claim four other wickets to restrict Wellington to 314 for eight on the first day of their four-day match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Burtt's five for 30 continued his steady pace of wicket-taking in the competition.
He and Wellington captain Michael Parlane, who scored a century, starred on a brilliant day in the capital.
Burtt signalled early danger when he clean bowled Bell in the fifth over, though the rest of the Wellington top and middle order batsmen settled down and showed plenty of resistance, with Parlane leading the way with 116, followed by Neal Parlane (50), Jesse Ryder (38) and Grant Elliott (36 not out). The other not out batsman was Iain O'Brien (30).
But it was Burtt who raised eyebrows.
After removing Bell, he claimed Ryder's wicket lbw to break a 64 run partnership between Ryder and Michael Parlane before ending the Wellington captain's innings with a catch off Iain Robertson, who took two wickets.
Burtt also removed Stu Mills (5), Luke Woodcock (0) and Dewayne Bowden (0).
Otago v ND
A solid middle order batting effort, including a century from Gareth Hopkins, gave Otago a strong start against Northern Districts.
Hopkins contributed 110 to Otago's 366 for nine on the first day of the four-day match at the University Oval in Dunedin.
Neil Broom and Nathan McCullum scored 61 each but it was McCullum's sixth wicket partnership of 146 with Hopkins that set up Otago's innings.
Earlier Greg Todd and Broom provided the first significant partnership of the match - 94.
Hopkins saw the innings through and scored 11 fours and a six in his 110 from 153 balls.
Joseph Yovich and Bruce Martin took three wickets each for Northern.
- NZPA