With Styris at the helm, Northern Districts racked up 317 for seven from 100 overs by stumps yesterday.

The Northern innings started well with Hamish Marshall and Robbie Diver putting on 72 for the first wicket before the side slumped to 122 for five, the academy's slow bowlers prompting the slide.

Then Styris, batting in the middle order had a succession of valuable partnerships with Grant Bradburn, Robbie Hart, and Addil Somani to give the Northern score substance. His 144 not out came in 276 minutes, having faced 220 balls and hit 12 fours in a confident innings.

The most successful of the academy bowlers who toiled on the breezy day was spinner Bruce Martin who captured three wickets while fellow slow bowlers Tim Anderson and Mark Jefferson took one apiece along with pace men Chris Martin and Kyle Mills.

The Village Green pitch being used for the first time for a match of such status played well for early in the season and after recent rain.

Northern Districts are expected to declare overnight leaving the academy a day's batting in the two-day match.

Short scoreboard:

Northern Districts 317-7 (Scott Styris 144no, Hamish Marshall 43, Robbie Diver 33; Bruce Martin 3-61) v New Zealand Academy.