Plunket Shield champions, the Northern Knights, finished their excellent campaign with their sixth outright win with the Central Stags on the receiving end this time around.
The Stag declared last yesterday leaving the Knights a challenging target of 407 to win.
Half centuries from openers Daniel Flynn (57) and Michael Parlane (68) got the chase off to a positive start but number three Kane Williamson went without scoring.
It was Hamish Marshall who put the Knights in a winning position with a fine 108 off just 136 deliveries.
The middle order carried the momentum on with Brad Wilson and James Marshall crafting an unbeaten 127 run partnership to get the Knights home by six wickets.
Wilson managed to hit his fourth First Class ton in the process, finishing on 101. James Marshall stuck 62.
The Knights have been the standout performers throughout the season, finishing on a mammoth 52 points with their nearest rivals, the Canterbury Wizards, back in second place on 36.
Day 3: Northern Knights require 394 runs to win with 10 wickets in hand
Central Stags opener Peter Ingram continued his excellent domestic from with a stunning century on day three of the Plunket Shield match against the Northern Knights.
Jamie How was unable to add to his overnight score of 62 as he returned to Palmerston North to be with his wife who went into labour so was effectively retired out.
Ingram went on to craft three useful partnerships with George Worker (24), Brad Patton (19) and Tim Weston (72) before he was stumped on 178.
The sparkling innings included 21 boundaries and a six and backed up his first innings knock of 85.
The middle order continued to pile on the runs with Bevin Griggs making 85 and James de Terte unbeaten on 77 before the declaration came.
Earlier in the match the Stags conceded a 125 run deficit in the first innings but go into day four with a healthy lead of 407.
The Northern Knights openers safely negotiated five overs before stumps and will resume tomorrow on 13 without loss.
Day 2: Central Stags lead by 27 runs with 10 wickets in hand
A superb century from wicketkeeper batsman Peter McGlashan guided the Northern Knights to first innings points over the Central Stags and in the process handed them the Plunket Shield.
The Knights were eight points clear of their nearest rivals the Canterbury Wizards before this match and with two points secured today they take an unassailable lead in the competition.
Starting the day on a precarious 75 for four the Knights lost James Marshall and Brad Wilson inside 12 overs and were looking shaky at 120 for six.
All rounder Joseph Yovich and McGlashan then combined for superb 106 run partnership for the seventh wicket.
When Yovich went for 52, McGlashan came together with Jono Boult for a 96 run stand and was eventually dismissed for his highest First Class score of 115.
Jono Boult went on to get 45 with the Knights racking up 342 to give them a lead of 125.
Strike bowler Michael Mason took three for 69, while Doug Bracewell captured three for 96.
The Central Stags openers have made an excellent start to their second inning by completely wiping the deficit and creating a 27 run lead without the loss of a wicket.
Peter Ingram hit a brisk 87 with Jamie How not far behind on 62 with the pair resuming tomorrow on 153 for none.
* Image of Peter McGlashan batting.
Day 1: Northern Knights trail by 142 runs with 6 wickets in hand
The Northern Knights have their eye on first innings points and a Plunket Shield triumph after rolling the Central Stags for 217 and then taking their score through to 75 for four on day one of the Plunket Shield match at McLean Park in Napier.
Knights captain James Marshall had no hesitation putting the Stags into bat with Graeme Aldridge and Jono Boult taking three wickets each to vindicate the decision.
Stags opener Peter Ingram was typically bullish hitting 85 off just 58 deliveries before being the first wicket to fall with the score on 94.
The rest of the scorecard made for dismal reading with Tim Weston’s 31 and Doug Bracewell’s 30 the only other contributions worth mentioning.
A focused Knights attack hunted as a pack with Plunket Shield Mitre 10 MVP leader Graeme Aldridge taking three for 43 and Jono Boult three for 47 with Trent Boult and Hamish Marshall chipping in with two apiece.
It was a shaky reply by the competition leaders with Stags spearhead Michael Mason ripping out both openers early to have them teetering at two for eight after 2.3 overs.
Kane Williamson (26) and Hamish Marshall (27) steadied with a 55 run partnership for the third wicket before Ben Wheeler removed Williamson and Mason bowled Marshall to have his third victim.
Brad Wilson will resume tomorrow on eight with James Marshall on one.
