Play after drinks was quiet, but tense. Craig Pryor (24 not out) and Duncan Drew (11 not out) have put on 35 for the sixth wicket in just over an hour.

Scott Waide was bowled by Graeme Aldridge in the over after drinks, losing his off stump as he drove down the wrong line. He scored six. Aldridge had taken four of the first five wickets to fall.

Aldridge took three for 15 in seven overs this morning, giving him innings figures of four for 34. Before today, his best performance of the season was four for 45 against Central Districts at Blenheim.

The first boundary for more than half-an-hour came when Pryor clipped a four through the leg side off Aldridge. He squirted another to third man off the first ball the next over, the first of Andrews' new spell.

An edge off Styris gave Pryor his third boundary. A quiet spell followed until the left-hander latched onto a short delivery from Andrews, sending it crashing into the fence at mid-wicket.

Bruce Martin settled into another lengthy spell from the city end, finishing the morning with nought for 61 from 31 overs.

At the start of play, ND would probably have settled for three wickets from the pre-lunch session, but the resolute way in which Pryor and Drew have batted shows that the last five wickets will take a lot of digging out.

ND began the day with a combination of seam and spin. Slow left-armer Bruce Martin extracted considerable turn bowling from the city end, but took a little time to settle into a consistent length. Jordan Sheed cut him for four in his first over.

Styris conceded five runs from five overs at the members' end before being replaced by Joseph Yovich when the new ball became available.

Sheed reached his fifty with an edged four from a Yovich no-ball. It was his second half-century in two first-class appearances, following a debut 53 against Canterbury. His concentration is impressive. He has been prepared to wait for long periods for the loose delivery.

Yovich believed that he had Sheed caught behind in the over that the batsman passed fifty, but umpire Cowie turned down the appeal.

Over three hours had passed without a wicket falling when Craig Cumming was bowled by Aldridge, in the first over of his new-ball spell. The batsman's leg stump was removed as he attempted a pull. Cumming scored 79 from 244 balls, with ten fours, most of them in the early stage of his innings. With Sheed he put on 78 for the third wicket.

The loss of Cumming affected Sheed's concentration. Three times in Yovich's next over he played and missed outside off stump, before connecting with a cut that was played one-handed as he stretched well over to the off side. The ball flew to the short boundary just behind square for six, to take Sheed to the highest score of his short career. He repeated the shot (but with both hands) for four in Yovich's next over.

It was a last flourish for Sheed, who fell lbw to Aldridge for 64, from 161 balls including eight fours and a six. On the evidence of this performance, he will quickly establish himself in the Otago batting line-up.

Waide survived a strong first-ball lbw appeal by Aldridge. He and Pryor must bat through to lunch at least if Otago are to save the game. ND will be satisfied with the morning's play so far.

The visitors resume on 176/2, needing another 166 to make ND bat again. Craig Cumming (74 not out) and Jordan Sheed (39 not out) batted through from tea to the close yesterday, demonstrating that disciplined batting can result in long-term survival on what remains a very good pitch.

The ball did begin to turn significantly towards the end of yesterday's play, so slow left-armers Bruce Martin and Matthew Hart can expect to do plenty of bowling today.

An ND win remains the most likely result, as long as frustration does not set in if wickets do not fall early. Any result other than an outright victory for Otago will guarantee a last-place position for them in the State Chamionship at the end of the season.

It is a muggy, overcast morning in Hamilton, but the forecast gives only a slight chance of rain.