A monster second-wicket partnership between Mark Richardson (97) and Craig Cumming, who ended unbeaten on 125, a tea declaration and three wickets in the last session left Otago in firm control of their Shell Trophy match against Northern Districts with one day to play.

Otago declared at 238 for two, 83 runs ahead of Northern on the first innings. By the end of the day, the home side were 61 for three, still 22 in arrears and looking in danger of coming off worst in the points battle at the top of the table.

The 220-run partnership for the second wicket was a beast of startling contrast. Cumming and Richardson spent the morning being most circumspect, 86 runs coming from the first 140 minutes' play. The Northern bowlers were tight and the Otago pair were content to make use of whatever loose balls came their way. There were not many.

What was served at lunch? It might have been two different batsmen on duty after the break, reflected in the 151 runs bludgeoned in the 130 minutes until the declaration at tea. Cumming showed particular preference for anything on his legs; Richardson's innings was best expressed with the left-handers' classic straight drive.

The day certainly did not start like one that would produce two short of 300 runs. Another night of Hamilton dampness, this time heavy dew, ensured a delayed start. Otago resumed half an hour late under high overcast skies at one without loss in response to Northern's 155. After the early departure of their captain, Matt Horne (1), Richardson and Cumming settled in for what appeared to be the long haul.

With an industrious approach that made little room for adventure, they took the score through to 87 for one in the face of Northern bowling that was generally accurate, induced the occasional false shot but offered just enough for the Otago pair to suggest they were doing more than occupying the crease.

They certainly did more than that after lunch - although inititally runs tended to come in bursts, eight off an over here, ten off another there, then a pause, then another burst, 12 here, 15 there. However, once past the Northern first innings score, they took to the bowlers. None was immune, the straight drive and the pull in particular doing the damage.

New Northern medium pacer Simon Andrews gained particular experience of the split personality of the innings, his first five overs in first-class cricket going for just 11, the four in his second spell contributing 43 to the Otago cause. The rest of his colleagues were similarly dealt to, Simon Doull and Grant Bradburn picking up the only two wickets to fall.

Northern's progress during the final session was slow, just five boundaries, only one in the last hour. Michael Parlane went early, driving outside off and giving Duncan Drew his fourth catch in his first match behind the stumps. That seemed a signal that all Northern batsmen were vulnerable outside off. Certainly, that was where the Otago bowlers, Bradley Scott and Paul Wiseman excepted, bowled again and again and that was where the Northern batsmen ignored them - again and again.

David Sewell was rewarded for one straight over, Drew getting his fifth catch of the innings to remove James Marshall (29), but the left-armer's figures of one for five off 11 were very flattering. On the other hand, Scott's catching Mark Bailey (23) in front was just recompense for bowling straight.

Bailey's wicket ended a 52-run partnership with Marshall, Northern's highest of the match. They will need to improve that dismal record if they are to have any chance of coming out of this match with some profit. With Wiseman looking in demanding form, that prospect looks increasingly slim.

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