The opening day of the Plunket Shield first class cricket season at Bay Oval went almost perfectly according to plan today for Northern Districts' – that is until it became their turn to bat.

With six current Blackcaps in their lineup they were expected to give Otago a torrid time, and that looked to be duly coming to pass as they rolled the visitors' inexperienced batting lineup for just 108 inside the first session.

But they wouldn't have been expecting to have to rely on a swashbuckling 50 from Trent Boult to give them a first innings lead.

Earlier the world class Blackcaps pace bowler had started the demolition job on Otago, taking the wicket of former international opener Hamish Rutherford with just one run on the total, after skipper Daniel Flynn had won the toss and decided to bowl first on a lively-looking pitch with a green tinge about it.

A regular procession of wickets followed, with Boult and his Blackcaps teammates Neil Wagner and Colin de Grandhomme sharing eight of them, but leaving two for the only non-international frontline bowler in the team, James Baker.

Trent Boult took three Otago wickets before smashing his best ever first class score

Otago's Josh Finnie departs having been bowled by Neil Wagner

Northern Districts were unable to capitalise on their morning's efforts though, as the steady stream of wickets continued. Included in that collapse were Kane Williamson, who was looking forward to some good time in the middle before rejoining the international team for their trip to the United Arab Emirates to take on Pakistan. He faced just six balls for a single run.

Other notable failures came from BJ Watling and de Grandhomme, who both failed to score. Captain Flynn and Daryl Mitchell, with 27 and 23 respectively, were the only recognised batsmen to show any resistance.

When Boult arrived at the crease, batting at 10, they were eight wickets down with just 59 on the board, and looking odds on to give Otago a handy first innings lead.

Crazy things often happen on the opening day of the season though, and before he was the last wicket to fall he'd hit six fours and five sixes, reached his highest ever first class score of 61, and bludgeoned his team through to 136, a lead of 28.

The game drew a breath after that, and Otago settled down to some sensible batting in their second innings. They will resume on the second day tomorrow having reached 88 for just the loss of former ND player Brad Wilson's wicket.

With both teams having rattled through their first innings on the opening day a result in the game looks odds on, even if the dodgy weather forecast for late tomorrow and Friday comes true. Chances are the match will be decided on Saturday, when the sun is expected to return.

ND's slip cordon, including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and wicketkeeper BJ Watling, appeals for an LBW decision

Watling and Boult chase down an edge through the slips

Otago's Jacob Duffy hits Neil Wagner for six

Henry Cooper takes the catch to dismiss Duffy and end the Otago innings