An unbroken eighth wicket stand helped lift Wellington into a solid position at stumps on the opening day of their Plunket Shield match with Auckland at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.
Having been sent in, Wellington were in ordinary shape at 232 for seven before Brady Barnett and Matt McEwan puton 63 to have Wellington start today at 295 for seven.
Barnett is on 46, McEwan on 29. Opener Deepak Joon hit 60 in three hours, and put on 69 for the second wicket with Stephen Murdoch, whose 36 took him past 700 shield runs this season, behind only Canterbury's Peter Fulton.
James Franklin made a patient 33 while Lockie Ferguson's three for 41 off 16 overs were the pick of the Auckland bowling figures.
In Nelson, leaders Canterbury were 329 for five, having been sent in by Central Districts when bad light cut the day short.
The highlight of the day was a rapid 88 off 80 balls by former Auckland international spinner Ronnie Hira.
Hira has bowled just 28 wicketless overs in the shield, but is up to 450 runs this season.
He added 75 with Fulton for the second wicket, Neil Broom and Henry Nicholls put on 61 for the fourth wicket while Nicholls, who made 74, shared a 96-run fifth wicket stand with Andrew Elllis.
