Central Districts are struggling to remove some stubborn Northern Districts batsmen as they head into the final day of their Plunket Shield cricket match in Nelson.

A 155-run fifth-wicket partnership between Corey Anderson and James Marshall led the fight back against the title favourites, the pair pushing Northern's second innings score through to 264 for 5 when Anderson finally edged Doug Bracewell through to keeper Kruger van Wyk for 89 in the day's final half hour.

Bracewell struck again right at the end, bowling Cameron Fletcher for seven to leave Northern 285 for 6 at stumps, a lead of 134 runs with four wickets in hand.

Marshall ended the day unbeaten on 94, having faced 127 balls and hit 13 boundaries.

Central missed the chance to remove Anderson on 23 with the total on 120 when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk off Andrew Lamb. 

The strapping left-hander made them pay, hitting 13 fours and a six off 151 balls.

Central's last batting partnership had similarly frustrated Northern earlier this morning, Andrew Lamb and Andrew Mathieson continuing from their overnight total of 397 for 9 to add a further 21 runs before Lamb was out lbw to Brent Arnel for 18 and the total at 418 - a lead of 151 runs.

It was a significant effort by Arnel (3-90), his dismissal of Kruger van Wyk on day two giving him his 200th first class scalp before eventually ending the innings with 202.

Opener Joseph Yovich's departure for a 10-ball duck with the total on 8 signified a dismal start to Northern's second innings until fellow opener Daniel Flynn and his skipper Brad Wilson found some traction to battle through to 64 for 1 at lunch.

Wheeler struck another two decisive blows after the break when the left-armer dismissed both Wilson (28) and Flynn (37) within a run of each other.

Northern also lost Daryl Mitchell, caught behind off Kieran Noema-Barnett for 15, before Corey Anderson and James Marshall finally erased the deficit early in the third session.

NORTHERN DISTRICTS first innings 267
CENTRAL DISTRICTS first innings (contd at 397 for 9)

J Raval c Fletcher b Verma 121

J How c Fletcher b Anderson 93

C Cachopa c Flynn b Boult 23

M Sinclair c Fletcher b Marshall 23

K Noema-Barnett lbw b Arnel 6

K van Wyk c Wilson b Arnel 1

D Bracewell c Yovich b Boult 67

T Nethula c Wilson b Boult 28

B Wheeler c Arnel b Verma 0

A Lamb lbw b Arnel 18

A Mathieson not out 19

Extras (5b, 7lb, 5w, 2nb) 19

Total (113 overs) 418

Fall: 215, 244, 265, 283, 284, 285, 381, 381, 381, 418

Bowling: B Arnel 28-7-90-3 (1w), A Verma 28-5-132-2 (1w, 2nb), I Sodhi 1-0-4-0, C Anderson 19-4-67-1, J Boult 24-5-83-3, D Mitchell 10-2-28-0 (2w), J Marshall 3-1-2-1.

NORTHERN DISTRICTS second innings

D Flynn c Lamb b Wheeler 37

J Yovich c Raval b Wheeler 0

B Wilson lbw b Wheeler 28

D Mitchell c van Wyk b Noema-Barnett 15

C Anderson c van Wyk b Bracewell 89

J Marshall not out 94

C Fletcher b Bracewell 7

Extras (4lb, 2w, 9nb) 15

Total (for 6 wkts, 88.3 overs) 285

Fall: 8, 70, 71, 109, 264, 285 

Bowling: D Bracewell 17.3-3-57-2 (1w, 3nb), B Wheeler 16-4-41-3 (1nb), A Mathieson 19-3-54-0 (1nb), A Lamb 12-2-45-0, T Nethula 7-0-51-0 (1nb), K Noema-Barnett 10-6-10-1 (1nb), C Cachopa 7-2-23-0 (1w).

- © Fairfax NZ News