What a difference a day made to the spite buried in the Lincoln Green pitch when the State Auckland Aces' lower order batted in nearly sublime conditions today compared to those of the first day.

The New Zealand Academy could only feed deliveries into the Auckland run blender which then churned out 158 runs, off 266 balls, for New Zealand bowler Kyle Mills, 79 for Andre Adams and 62 for Tama Canning.

Auckland when all out for 403, had a lead of 235 runs on the first innings, something that Academy opening batsman Jamie How set about righting on his own in a commanding innings of 80, from 75 balls. His onslaught only ended when he was bowled by left-arm slow bowler Mark Haslam.

By stumps the New Zealand Academy had slumped to be 111/3 at stumps.

But it was the Auckland lower-order that commanded the day, and probably the game.

Adams and Mills set the trend for the day when digging Auckland out of their overnight hole of 122/6. They added 108 for the seventh wicket before Adams, who during the innings achieved the distinction of being the first batsman in five years of use at the ground to hit a ball far enough to break a window on the adjoining Lincoln University glasshouses - a significant achievement.

He was out for 79 with his runs coming from 71 balls, including 11 fours and four sixes.

The torture wasn't over for the Academy however. Canning joined Mills and settled in for an even longer stay as 178 runs were added for the eighth wicket. Canning was next out, for 62 scored from 124 balls. Both Adams and Canning departed to Nathan McCullum's off-spin, Adams being caught and Canning leg before wicket.

However, Mills was still in the mood to score and he achieved his 150 before being the last man out, caught at backward square leg trying to blast How for what would have been the sixth six of his innings. He also hit 20 fours before finally being out for 158, scored off 266 balls.

McCullum ended with three for 51 from 15 overs while Luke Woodcock took three for 84 and James Franklin had two for 55.

How, who did not enter the Academy earlier in the year with bowling in his repertoire, continued his development as an off-spinner to finish with one for 25 from 6.5 overs.

He was then straight into action with the bat in what developed into a lively opening response from the Academy, albeit unable to be maintained until stumps. He was first man out with the score on 98, but before six more runs had been scored, Woodcock, his opening partner, was bowled by Brooke Walker for 19 and Shanan Stewart was leg before wicket to Walker for a duck.

The Academy faces a huge battle to avoid an innings defeat tomorrow, especially as Walker looks to be the bowler capable of making significant inroads into the batting with the Academy still 125 runs short of making Auckland bat again.

© CricInfo