The fact that Sir Paul Condon, head of the International Cricket Council match-fixing investigation team, will be in Auckland tomorrow should not interfere with a thrilling, if arranged, finish to the Auckland-Central Districts Shell Trophy match at the Eden Park Outer Oval.

After some arrangements which might be interpreted, depending on the viewpoint, as a gentleman's agreement or collusion between the two skippers, Auckland will be looking for close to 400 runs, and Central 10 wickets in pursuit of victory tomorrow.

Central could end with six points, and keep their Trophy hopes alive, while Auckland could have four points and put a prideful swell on their chests.

The mere details of the day were that Central Districts declared their first innings at 397 for six, their overnight total, and then Andrew Schwass led such a brilliant bowling attack that he had the first four Auckland wickets for two runs, and the home side slid to 42 for five, 44 for six and 65 for seven.

Then a gallant rearguard action, led by Reece Young, the 21-year-old wicket-keeper batting at No 9, led to Young scoring a totally splendid century and figuring in a 104-run stand for the ninth wicket with Chris Drum (30).

This led Auckland to a modest 224 for eight wickets by tea, Central 173 runs ahead, when Dion Nash, the Auckland skipper, closed his innings - obviously safe in the knowledge Spearman would not impose the 150-run follow-on.

Instead Spearman led the Central second innings in a blistering assault which brought him 61, David Kelly 85 not out and Mathew Sinclair 32 not out in the Central second innings of 192 for one wicket in the 28 overs before stumps.

So Central finished 365 runs in profit and, with a minimum of 100 overs available tomorrow (less three for some possible change of innings) Spearman will have plenty of time to attack the erratic Auckland batting line.

In fact, Spearman could declare overnight, and hope for some early-morning help for his bowlers from a pitch covered and sweating under Auckland's recent run of 98 per cent humidity.

This ploy worked superbly this morning when, after Brent Hefford had conceded a run in the first over, Andrew Schwass took three wickets in the next over. He soon had another, opening figures of 3-0-3-4, first-spell details of 7-3-5-4, five wickets for 13 and eventually five for 53.

Schwass is a 26-year-old expert at doing the simple things right - bowling a brisk medium, a tight length, accurate direction and let the swing and seam of the ball do the nasty work. He looked so innocent in what became a St Valentine's Day massacre of the Auckland innings.

Some of the life had gone from the pitch and the ball - it became a very hot afternoon - by the time Young (with noble assistance from the rest of the tail) led Auckland some way out of the wilderness.

Like Schwass, Young did not become over-ambitious. He kept out the dangerous balls, nudged the good ones for ones and twos, and with his confidence growing hit out boldly over the last half of his heroic 143-minute tour to the first century of his 11-match first class career.

Along the way Young hit 17 fours and finished his century from 95 to 101 not out with the suitable splendour of a six over mid-wicket. Drum deserved warm praise for his diligent defence, and the occasional murderous whack of the ball to, and twice over, the boundary.

Not surprisingly Spearman, Kelly and Sinclair raced along at a run-a-ball clip in the gloaming, not hindered by a rather cosy new-ball attack, and then helped materially when Blair Pocock and Richard King contributed seven convivial overs from which Central extracted 64 runs.

Things became a little more rigorous later in the afternoon, and perhaps Spearman may be tempted to give Auckland all tomorrow to scored the runs.

Whatever the questions about the wisdom, or ethics, of Nash's declaration, the day brought 416 runs for nine wickets, following the 397 for six on the previous day.

On that basis anything, and more likely a Central Districts win, could happen tomorrow.

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