Batsmen around the country made hay with four centuries and a few near misses in the latest round of the Ford Trophy, which is still led by Auckland despite a heavy loss.
The defending champions and recent HRV Cup winners were heavily defeated by 102 runs by Wellington, who completely dominated their clash at Colin Maiden Park.
Choosing to bat first, the visitors posted a solid total of 276 and were bowled out with three balls to spare.
Michael Papps shook off a summer malaise to make 90 at the top of the innings and put on a second-wicket stand of 144 with Stephen Murdoch (73). James Franklin added 39 and Harry Boam slammed 37.
But the most impressive numbers belonged to Mitchell McClenaghan. The speedy left-arm paceman took 6-41, his second five-wicket bag in a row for Auckland after a return from a long lay-off with injury.
Unfortunately for McClenaghan, his team-mates couldn't fire with the bat. They were bowled out for 174 with just under 13 overs left unused, and Jeet Raval's 48 was the only score in excess of 30.
Mark Gillespie took 3-37, Jeetan Patel bowled tightly for 2-31 and the rest chipped in around them.
There was a humdinger in Rangiora as a pair of Central Districts centurions hunted down Canterbury's imposing 291 with ease.
Canterbury opener George Worker, considered unlucky to miss out on the national limited overs squads against Zimbabwe, scored his second List A century with 108 off 123 balls. His six fellow batsmen at the crease all made between 41 and 19 to compliment Worker's efforts.
But it wasn't enough. After falling to 50-2, Dean Robinson and Mathew Sinclair slapped centuries in a 231-run stand to get their side over the line.
In only his second 50-over match at domestic level, Robinson made 130 not out and Sinclair also notched his highest score, 123 which was his seventh ton.
Andy Ellis, celebrating his New Zealand call-up, took 2-51.
Otago made a better fist of defending a total of nigh-on 300 but a few nails were bitten down in the process as they just kept out Northern Districts at Hamilton's Seddon Park.
Their total of 293-5 was indebted to a furious 43-ball knock of 90 by Nathan McCullum, including three fours and seven sixes off the hapless ND bowlers.
Craig Cumming's cool head saw him play the anchor role with an unbeaten 85 off 98 balls, while Michael Bracewell made 55.
ND will feel they should have hauled the total in, especially with Anton Devcich's 101 not out to work around. It was also his first century in colours for ND, but wouldn't prove to be a match-winning one due to a lack of contributions by his fellow batsmen.
He had support from Brandon Hiini, making 47 off 42 in his first appearance for his new province, but others around him scored at an insufficient pace to achieve victory.
McCullum completed a fine all-round match with 2-37 off 10 overs and his fellow spinner, Nick Beard, took three scalps at a cost of 50.
With three matches remaining in the round robin, Auckland leads on 20, one ahead of Otago, three ahead of Canterbury and CD while Wellington (11) and ND (6) are destined to miss out on the business end again.