ROUND NINE of 10 delivered a fast-moving day one at all venues.
Wellington Firebirds v Mondiale Auckland Aces at Basin Reserve
Day one of the match that may decide the Shield, a face-off between the two top teams, got off to a hectic start for the frontrunning Aces after they were bundled out for 152 in 34 overs: a good day to be a bowler.
Scorecard
First innings batting bonus points, Aces: 0 (completed), Firebirds 0 (so far)
First innings bowling bonus points: Firebirds 4 (completed), Aces 1 (so far)
It's war between the 'Birds and the Aces. Photosport
Milestones
Veteran pace bowler Brent Arnel's 5-51 is his 14th five-wicket bag in first-class cricket, and 5th for Wellington Firebirds
Iain McPeake best first-class bowling figures of 3-40. Previous best 3-43.
Canterbury v SKYCITY Northern Knights at Hagley Oval
Bad light ended play in the last session, Canterbury (the other team in contention) one down and trailing by 177 runs after ripping through the Knights in 61.4 overs.
Knight Bharat Popli got 26 of the 58 runs he needs for 1000 runs in a first-class season. Peter Fulton at the crease on four overnight, looking for that 10,000th first-class career run (though winning the Shield will be his number one goal we're sure).
Scorecard
First innings batting bonus points, Knights: 0 (completed), Canterbury 0 (so far)
First innings bowling bonus points: Canterbury 4 (completed), Knights 0 (so far)
@ndcaknights Nice. pic.twitter.com/dzFTtJGVj6
— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 23, 2016
Milestones
Canterbury pace bowler Hamish Bennett's 50th first-class match had seen him on course for a five-for: he had to be content with a good 3-42
SBS Bank Otago Volts v Devon Hotel Central Stags at University Oval
The Volts are 4/2 at stumps (Stags pace bowler Navin Patel has 3-2-1-2 overnight), trailing by 254 runs. Stag Dane Cleaver fell seven runs short of what would have been his second century at this level.
Scorecard
Milestones
• Jacob Duffy tore up the Stags' top order for his fourth first-class five-wicket bag
