Auckland overcome Otago to move into second place

Tim McIntosh's unbeaten hundred trumped a similar effort from Neil Broom as Aukland beat Otago by seven wickets at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland. Otago chose to bat, a move that appeared to have backfired when Daryl Tuffey knocked over both openers, and Andre Adams snapped up Craig Cummings, with only 34 runs on the board. Darren Stevens then joined Broom at the crease, and the pair proceeded to resuscitate the innings, adding 158 in 28 overs. Adams eventually removed Stevens for 80, and added the wicket of Nathan McCullum, but Broom completed a fine hundred, finishing with 116 from 129 balls.

Aukland lost Vincent early in their chase, but with McIntosh steering the ship, and getting good support from Anaru Kitchen, Gareth Hopkins and Greg Todd, they chased down their target of 274 with nine balls to spare. Hopkins made 57, adding 123 with McIntosh, while Todd remained not out on 47. McIntosh's 121 came from 132 balls, and included nine fours and two sixes. The win moves Auckland above Otago and into second place in the points table.

Rob Nicol produced a splendid allround performance, making a century and picking up four wickets, as top-of-the-table Canterbury cruised past Central Districts by 56 runs at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth. Batting first, Nicol and Michael Papps raced to 70 from the first 11 overs before Papps was caught behind of Tarun Nethula for 21. After Peter Fulton departed for 4, Nicol found an able ally in Doug Brownlie, who made 53, and the pair took the score to 190, when Kieran Noema-Barnett struck to remove Brownlie. Nicol went soon after, having made 105 from 119 balls, but Reece Young blasted 44 from 33 balls, to push Canterbury to 295.

CD started solidly, with their openers adding 46 before Peter Ingram fell for 20. George Worker carried on to make 54 and Matthew Sinclair made 57, but nobody went on to make a big score. Noema-Barnett added 40 down the order but it was too little, too late for CD, who remain rooted in last place.

Cameron Merchant and Grant Elliot set up Wellington's 52-run win over Northern Districts with aggressive half-centuries at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Merchant made 94 and Elliot 80, combining to add 155 for the third wicket. James Franklin chipped in with 52 from 41 balls, to push the total to 294. Northern Districts lost wickets at regular intervals, with only Brook Hatwell and James Marshall able to stitch together a partnership over 50. Andy McKay was the best of the bowlers, taking 3 for 40 from nine overs.