BJ Watling has come back to first-class cricket in excellent touch for Northern Districts ahead of New Zealand's test series against South Africa.

More good news for the Black Caps on the test front.

Wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling's return to first-class cricket from a short injury break has been a resounding success so far.

In the sixth round Plunket Shield match for his Northern Districts side against Otago, Watling made 96 in Northern's second innings to set up an intriguing final day in Whangarei. At stumps, ND were 240-8, giving them a lead of 242.

PHOTOSPORT Central Stags player Tom Bruce struck a classy century to further his claims.

That knock came after Black Caps pace bowler Neil Wagner returned from a broken finger to play club cricket at the weekend, with New Zealand's first test against South Africa starting in Dunedin on March 8.

READ MORE: Munro returns with a vengeance

Watling made 42 from 101 balls in the first innings as the Northern middle-order and tail fell in a steady procession and was at the heart of a crucial rescue mission in ND's second innings.

PHOTOSPORT Matt Henry's fallen down the Black Caps pecking order but took five wickets for Canterbury.

The 31-year-old was elevated a place in the batting order for his second knock and came to the wicket with his side 0-3. As expected, he mixed a resolute forward defence with a prodigious ability to find runs behind square on the off side and work singles into the leg-side.

He batted for 214 minutes before falling lbw to Michael Rippon's left-arm leg-spin and put on 91 for the eighth wicket with Joe Walker - who made a dogged unbeaten 55 off 123 balls - which kept the competition leaders in the hunt for an outright victory.

Otago resumed their first innings on Monday morning on 270-8 and were soon dismissed for 276, leaving them two behind the hosts.

Scott Kuggeleijn took both wickets with short lifting deliveries to give him his fifth five-wicket bag in first-class cricket, ending with 5-68 off 20 overs.

Northern's second dig started disastrously as they loss their first three wickets without a run. Jacob Duffy, back in the Volts after making adjustments to his bowling action, produced cracking deliveries to get rid of ND skipper Daniel Flynn and Bharat Popli.

The day-three wicket still offered encouragement for the seamers who could find the right spots for some movement and variable bounce and while batsmen found it hard to 'get in', Watling and Worker - as did Derek de Boorder and Anaru Kitchen the previous day for Otago - showed batsmen could prosper over time.

In Auckland, two currently unwanted Black Caps have made their mark with the bat in the clash between the hosts and Central Districts.

Auckland declared on their overnight tally of 385-5, of which Colin Munro made 146 off just 109 balls, with seven sixes and 17 fours.

Central slumped to 66-5 in reply before Tom Bruce and Dane Cleaver (33) added 95 for the sixth wicket. Bruce plundered his way to an unbeaten 127 off 166 balls, featuring 14 fours and a six before the visitors declared at 256-7 to hopefully entice a final-day declaration from the Aces.

At stumps, Auckland were 44-2, giving them a lead of 173 with eight second-innings wickets in hand.

The opening day at Colin Maiden Park was abandoned without a ball being bowled after a leak in the covers made the wicket unfit for play on Saturday.

At the Basin Reserve in Wellington, Canterbury trail Wellington by 56 runs at stumps on day two after the hosts had just started their second innings .

Wellington resumed their first innings on Monday morning at 274-7 and were soon dismissed for 297, with Matt Henry completing his seventh five-wicket bag at first class level.

Henry, released from the New Zealand ODI squad without featuring in the series against South Africa to date, took 5-62 off 26 overs.

Veteran Peter Fulton top-scored for the visitors with 79, made from 150 balls, as Canterbury were dismissed for 243 with seamer Anurag Verma starring by taking 4-39 for the Firebirds.

AT A GLANCE

Plunket Shield round six

Cobham Oval, Whangarei

ND 278 and 240-8 (BJ Watling 96, J Walker 55no; J Duffy 3-43) v Otago 276 (D de Boorder 89, A Kitchen 76, M Bracewell 45; S Kuggeleijn 5-68, D Mitchell 3-42).

Colin Maiden Park, Auckland

Auckland 385-5 and 44-2 v Central Districts 256-7 dec (T Bruce 127no).

Basin Reserve, Wellington

Wellington 297 and 2-0 (M Papps 76, H Marshall 69; M Henry 5-62) v Canterbury 243 (P Fulton 79; A Verma 4-39).