Central Districts need only 93 more runs with all wickets intact to claim an outright win over Northern Districts in their Plunket Shield match in Gisborne.
Having enjoyed a 158-run lead on the first innings, CD applied the pressure from the outset of the third day to have ND 81-6 at one stage.
Brad Wheeler and Adam Milne combined to take four wickets apiece, Wheeler for 38 runs and Milne for 53 from the 20 overs they each bowled.
Daryl Mitchell offered the only significant resistance in the ND line-up while scoring 83 in a patient 364-minute innings. It surpassed his previous highest score of 42. Ish Sodhi hit 50, his maiden half-century, batting at No.9 while Graeme Aldridge scored 38 to go past 2000 first-class runs, as the tail wagged.
At stumps, CD were two without loss.
At Rangiora, Canterbury's Andrew Ellis got among the Wellington batsmen after they were asked to face the music first. Josh Brodie and Michael Papps put on 59 for the first wicket but one Papps fell for 31, Wellington lost four wickets for two runs as Ellis created some havoc.
Grant Elliott with 26 managed a brief revival but it was a block-busting 10th wicket stand between Andy McKay, who finished 33 not out, and Mark Gillespie who his 77 from 63 balls that allowed a modicum of respectability to the Wellington total of 239.
Their record-breaking 10th wicket stand of 113 surpassed the 87 scored in 1944-45 by NR Hoar and R Allen.
George Worker broke the stand with the third ball of his only over. Ellis finished with 6-58,four runs more than his career-best bowling.
Worker's delight was short-lived however, as he was dismissed by the man he dismissed Gillespie from the fourth ball of Canterbury's innings. Shanan Stewart followed soon after with the score on five when bowled by McKay.
Canterbury had recovered to be 91-2 by stumps with Dean Brownlie 53 not out and Peter Fulton 32 not out.