The last day of the Northern Districts-Otago Shell Trophy match descended into a revolving-door farce as bad light and drizzly rain - and Otago's intention to use up every minute of the day in the search of victory - had the players on and off throughout the afternoon.

However, the tone of the last day was set in the first hour. The Northern batsmen showed no inclination to go for runs while the Otago bowlers, Paul Wiseman apart, demonstrated limited ability to make the batsmen work to keep their wickets.

A desultory morning session produced just 46 runs from 39 overs with Otago claiming the wickets of Hamish Marshall (four, no shot leg before) and Grant Bradburn (18, hanging the bat) more by the batsmen's failings than the bowlers' management. Northern, 61 for three and 22 behind overnight, were 107 for five at lunch, 44 ahead with Matthew Hart and Joseph Yovich demonstrating they were in for the long haul.

Rain delayed the start after lunch and then sent the players off early for an extended tea break. In between times, the Otago bowlers failed to make the best use of the new ball, bowling both sides of the wicket as Hart and Yovich kept their bats well clear of anything not on line.

The last session was similarly affected by rain, the players driven from the field five overs after the break but not before the Otago side had staged a mid-pitch display of displeasure at umpire Anderson's rejection of a spirited demand for a caught behind off David Sewell's bowling.

They came back again with 20 overs scheduled to be bowled in what was left of the day but only four more were completed before bad light intervened for the last time, the umpires left lonely figures in the middle before the captains eventually decided to put the match to bed at four minutes past six.

Northern were 149 for five when the curtain was drawn to little applause, the total having taken 100 overs. Hart batted 204 minutes and 135 balls for his 31 not out, Yovich 142 and 123 for his 30 not out. The Otago bowling figures, not surprisingly, looked impressively economic, Sewell two for 24 off 24, Scott two for 27 off 14 and Walmsley one for 36 off 16 the wicket-takers. But it was the off spin of Paul Wiseman, none for 23 off 31, that produced figures that reflected appropriate accuracy.

Northern played as though they were looking ahead to the final-round match against Wellington, which has turned into a Trophy final - the two sides the only ones left who can take the championship. On the evidence in this match, a much improved all round performance will be necessary to stop Wellington taking the title - and extracting revenge for the two-day drubbing at Northern's hands at the beginning of the month.

© CricInfo