Gloom sets in on Wellington

Before the conditions had the last say, Auckland brought Wellington's supposed march to a massive first innings total to a grinding halt on the morning of the second day.

In the face of accurate bowling from Gareth Shaw, Andre Adams and Tama Canning, the visitors added just 80 runs in the session for the loss of five wickets, the innings ending 15 minutes before lunch at 409.

It did not initially look that way. Mark Jefferson and Luke Woodcock continued the partnership they had established the previous evening, adding 30 in the first nine overs as they boosted their combined effort to 73 and the Wellington total to 359/5.

However, Shaw, who bowled just 11 overs on the first day, powered in for 13 on the trot and received just reward. Jefferson, who had looked uncomfortable at times against the young pace bowler, got a leg-side touch to the last ball of the morning's ninth over and a diving Reece Young behind the stumps did the rest.

It was the beginning of the end for Wellington. Young continued his involvement, his gloves completing the work as first Canning and then Shaw got the edges of Leighton Morgan and Andrew Penn respectively to leave Wellington 375 for eight. At the same score, Canning cleaned out an impressive looking Woodcock two runs short of a deserved half century.

A stubborn 34-run last-wicket stand between Jeetan Patel (23) and Iain O'Brien (11 not out) inched Wellington closer to the sort of score that would offer them a realistic chance of securing a sufficient net average runs per wicket rate to sneak past Auckland for the title.

However, at 409 Patel swept Brooke Walker to Tim McIntosh at backward square leg to end the innings, bringing out the calculators to establish a range of permutations under which Wellington could continue the Hodini acts that have marked their season.

Shaw was impressive during the session, ending with two for 35 from 14 to go with his 11 overs for 34 the previous day. Canning also lifted his game from the first day, his two for 18 from eight overs in the morning giving him an innings return of two for 54 from 19. Walker took the other wicket to fall in the session, ending with two for 86 from 33.2.

Five minutes before lunch, Auckland came out to bat, Wellington came out to field, the umpires came out to check their light meters and they all turned round and left the field, just beating the rain, which settled in for the rest of the day.

Wellington will start the next with the immediate target being to remove Auckland within the follow-on mark of 259. Then the calculators will go into action in earnest.