Canning puts Auckland in control

Wellington 235 (Parlane 74, Adams 5-39) and 111 for 4(Woodcock 41*, Parlane 5*) lead Auckland 325 (Canning 106, Nicol 75, Cachopa 69, Gillespie 6-81) by 21 runs
Scorecard

An impressive allround display from Tana Canning gave Auckland control of the State Championship at Eden Park in Auckland, as Wellington closed the third day holding a slender lead of 21 with six wickets remaining. Canning's first major contribution was to carve out a vital century - and a sixth wicket partnership of 125 with Carl Cachopa - after Auckland and been stuttering at 173 for five late on the second day.

Canning faced 274 balls before becoming one of Mark Gillespie's six wickets, as the Wellington seamer ran through the tail - Auckland losing their last five wickets for 27 runs - to restrict them to a first-innings lead of 90. Carl Cachopa notched up his maiden first-class half-century and proved the perfect foil for Canning.

Keith Walmsley claimed an early wicket as Wellington set about trying to erase the deficit, having Matthew Bell caught by Richard Jones. But Luke Woodward and Michael Parlane were edging Wellington closer to a lead, when Canning took centre stage again. He trapped Parlane lbw and then had Samuel Fairley caught behind, and a further strike by the legspinner Brooke Walker left Wellington with plenty of work to do to set a competitive target.