The early gloom at Lincoln outside of Christchurch today perfectly matched the mood of the State Central Stags cricket team.
The State Auckland Aces seam attack worked wonders to reduce Central to 169 for eight on the opening day of the State Championship final, leaving Jacob Oram, on 35, and Michael Mason, on one, to pick up the pieces tomorrow.
It was all thrust and parry until a lull caused by bad light which enveloped Bert Sutcliffe Oval in the middle of the afternoon.
Umpires Brent Bowden and Chris Gaffaney directed the players from the field with just 46 of the scheduled 100 overs bowled, but there had still been more than enough time for Auckland to underline why they entered the five-day domestic showpiece as heavy favourites.
As the top qualifiers Auckland need only draw the match to walk away with the title but they are already some way down the track to forcing an outright result.
It certainly did not look like padding out that way as Central Districts openers Peter Ingram and Jamie How batted like polar opposites to put on 57 inside 15 overs.
Ingram was all hustle and bustle, hitting eight boundaries as he sped to 46 off 47 deliveries before Lance Shaw collected the first of his five scalps by inducing an edge to wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins.
Shaw also removed George Worker for a second ball duck while medium pacer Colin de Grandhomme caught and bowled How for nine, eked out over 47 balls in 74 minutes.
Suddenly Central Districts had lost three for none in the space of eight balls and Auckland never loosened their grip.
Skipper Mathew Sinclair and Brad Patton endeavoured to launch a rescue mission and added 52 for the fourth wicket before de Grandhomme nipped that in the bud by having Patton caught by Tarun Nethula for 18.
Sinclair departed himself just seven runs later for 34 when Shaw pierced his defences then Shaw had Bevan Griggs caught behind for eight and trapped Ewen Thompson leg before wicket for the second duck of the innings.
The other wicket to fall was that of Brendon Diamanti for 10, the victim of a collaboration between Hopkins and medium pacer Michael Bates.
In the biggest game of a brief career, Shaw ended the day with personal best figures of five for 59 from 13 overs, just his second five-wicket haul in 23 first-class appearances.
NZPA
