Left-arm pace bowlers Geoff Allott and Shayne O'Connor began their friendly rivalry for a place in the New Zealand cricket test team by bowling Southern into a sound position against Central in the opening Conference cricket match at Lincoln Green.
The pair claimed seven wickets between them on the flat track as Central was dismissed for 297 shortly before stumps yesterday. Southern was eight without loss in reply.
Allott and O'Connor could be vying for one quick bowling spot in the Black Caps line-up against India next month if fitness and form enables Simon Doull, Chris Cairns and Dion Nash to take their places.
Honours were fairly even yesterday with both toiling hard in conditions which favoured the batsmen. O'Connor finished with four wickets, including dismissing dangerman Roger Twose, while Allott destroyed the Central middle-order with the second new ball.
The pair helped reduce Central from a position of strength at 237 for four -- it lost its last six wickets for 60 runs -- once the second new ball was taken.
O'Connor was the preferred left-armer for much of last season, but Allott was sidelined by a back injury since January and is seeking a return to the highest level.
Central's top-order batting promised it would deliver the large total on a wicket described by New Zealand Academy batsmen in recent games as State Highway 1.
But after opener Matthew Bell, Twose and Mathew Sinclair all made accomplished half-centuries none pressed on for the big innings.
Southern's catching was a feature with captain Stephen Fleming emulating Australian counterpart Mark Taylor at first slip. He made three challenging takes at first slip seem straightforward.
Twose gave the national selectors, who have not included him in their 31-strong World Cup squad, a reminder of his ability with a well compiled 83 which featured 10 fours and three sixes, invariably seeming in control.
He shared a 112-run second wicket stand in even time with Bell, who is one of several players in contention for an opening batting position in the test team next month. Sinclair, who turned 23 earlier this week, also underlined his ability with a well-compiled 74 which was laced with 12 fours.
With medium pacer Warren Wisneski 12th man, Southern basically had slow bowling support for Allott and O'Connor. Mark Priest had the tidiest return and the scalps of Canterbury team-mate and Central captain Craig McMillan and Bell.
Day 2: Harris looks for more test cricket
Canterbury all-rounder Chris Harris enhanced his test selection aspirations by hammering his eighth first-class century to guide Southern to first innings honours in the Conference cricket series opener at Lincoln Green.
Long regarded as a one-day specialist in the international area, Harris would ``definitely'' love to play more test cricket.
He did his hopes no harm yesterday with a flawless 121 not out against Central before the watchful gaze of Black Caps coach and national selector Steve Rixon.
Southern was 305 for six wickets at stumps on the second day, seven runs ahead of Central's score of 297.
Harris, who turns 29 next Friday, could be a contender for a place in the batting line-up for the test series against India next month.
``I've played 115 one-day internationals over eight years and 14 tests over almost the same amount of time, so obviously I want to prove myself as a test player.
``But it's just a matter of taking each game, each innings, and each ball as it comes and making sure the processes are right and trying to play as well as you can.''
Harris hailed the Lincoln Green pitch as a great deck. ``You really have to play a rash shot to go out. It's just a matter of getting in and trying to make it as hard as possible for the bowlers and hit the ball away when it's there to be hit.''
He curbed his assertive one-day batting instincts to compile a chanceless century, rarely hitting the ball in the air.
The tall left-hander played some deft strokes, but still managed 18 fours as he reached his 100 off 181 balls. One of his lustier blows bounced wickedly near the boundary and fairly flew into an officials' tent, striking a scorer.
Harris expects Southern will look to bat on for at least another session today to maximise its lead over Central.
``If we can get a lead of 100 to 200 and get them five or six (wickets) down before they get past our lead, then we'll be in a strong position.''
In the morning session Central's left-arm spinner, Mark Jefferson, troubled all the Southern batsmen with his line and flight and took two routine catches off his own bowling within three balls to dismiss Southern opener Craig Cumming and New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.
Matthew Horne, the forgotten man of New Zealand cricket, had earlier scored 46 off 77 balls in an opening stand of 67.
Southern was 99 for three at lunch, but Harris and Nathan Astle put on 63 for the fourth wicket before Astle fell victim to Matthew Hart with the total at 147.
Otago's Mark Richardson joined Harris and the two left-handers shared in a stand of 106 as Southern achieved ascendancy.
The pair clubbed 17 runs off one over by former New Zealand seam bowler Robert Kennedy, with each collecting two fours. But Richardson was trapped in front by Tait, two runs short of his half-century, off the first ball of the 86th over with the score at 253.
Wicketkeeper Martyn Croy was dropped at second slip by Hart, off David Sewell's bowling. Croy made 10 before he fell for a tantalising trap set by Central skipper Craig McMillan, who had bowled a series of short-pitched deliveries aimed at enticing the batsmen to hit out.
Jefferson and Alex Tait had two wickets each for Central, with Tait bowling three consecutive maidens. Hart conceded just 36 runs off 20 overs.
Day 3 Report
On Saturday, Horne and Stephen Fleming overcame the early loss of Craig Cumming in the day's second over to share a 119-run unbroken second wicket stand for Southern. Both were in commanding form, batting authoritatively against an attack which was punished whenever it erred in line or length.
Horne finished unbeaten on 72 from 83 balls, and laced his innings with 15 fours, while Fleming was equally impressive, with 48 from 81 balls and eight fours.
Southern took six points for the outright win and the early advantage in the four-team competition. It is likely Northern and Pakistan A will receive a point apiece from their abandoned match in Timaru, which was called off because of sub-standard pitch conditions on the second day.