Bowlers give Auckland control with a day to play

First innings points were Auckland's profit from a day in which they set about trying to shut Northern Districts out of any benefit from this sixth round State Championship match.

In a day of changing fortunes, they ended up in danger of leaving the initiative to the visitors until their bowlers struck late in the day.

Northern, just 36 behind on the first innings after Auckland folded to 419, finished on 57/4 after three wickets were spread around and a fourth, Michael Parlane for one, came courtesy of a mid-pitch mix up with Matthew Hart. Richard Morgan, Chris Drum and Brooke Walker, with a wicket each, did the damage as Auckland hurried through 34 overs in the last two hours and 10 minutes.

The major contributor to the total was Hart, falling to Walker for 25.

Auckland started the third day at 244/3, the initial target Northern's first innings 383. They got there for the loss of four wickets, three of them in the first hour as Graeme Aldridge, Grant Bradburn and Joseph Yovich threatened to upset the home side's plans.

The most welcome wicket was that of Tim McIntosh, who looked the complete batsman as he carried his overnight total from 20 to 52 before Aldridge trapped him in front with the score 292/5.

Nick Horsley (10) and Rob Nicol (6) contributed little, Nicol going to the Robbie Hart/Yovich combination at the same score as McIntosh departed.

The resurrection of the Auckland innings was left in the hands of the captain, Walker, and Reece Young. Walker looked to be in attacking mood as he picked up seven and eight from consecutive overs by Yovich and Aldridge in the second and third of his innings. That was an illusion. When he was finally removed, bowled by Matthew Hart, for 63 with the score 413/8, he had faced 177 balls - most of them approached with a forward defensive push.

With Young (19) he had taken Auckland within sight of the target at 359/7 and then past it with Sanjeewa Silva, who during his accomplished 30 in a partnership of 54 looked interested in opening out.

Auckland's plans to bat on and on were foiled by the Hart brothers. Captain Robbie brought Matthew back after the left-arm spinner had taken a hammering from Mark Richardson, disappearing from sight on the second day after being plundered for 33 from four overs. He returned late in the innings to take the last three wickets in quick succession, including Walker's, to finish with three for 51 off 15.

With major assistance from the other left-arm spinner, Bruce Martin (three for 94 from seven), Hart dried up the scoring, his three wickets coming during a six-over spell that cost just four runs. Yovich, two for 72, Aldridge one for 56 and Bradburn one for 48 were the other wicket-takers.

Northern come back on the last day with Bradburn (12) and Hamish Marshall (7) leading the effort to set Auckland a challenging total. They might, in the process, appreciate a little traffic control, a steady stream of vehicles moving behind the bowler's arm on the Outer Oval access road at the city end distracting some of the batsmen.