Over nine hours at the crease, Northern Districts captain and former Black Caps batsman Jeet Raval has come within seven minutes of setting a world record.
Raval scored a century at Tauranga’s Bay Oval in Tauranga in their Round 4 Plunket Shield match against Central Districts, taking nine hours and 11 minutes.
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His innings ended just six minutes quicker than the slowest first-class cricket century of all time - a record held by former Pakistan international Mudassar Nazar, set against England in Lahore in 1977-78.
The former Black Caps opener who played 24 tests between 2016-2020 almost apologetically raised his bat first ball after lunch, after scampering a tight single.
He was finally dismissed for 107, with the match ultimately ending in a draw.
Halfway through the national first-class championship, there is a new leader atop the Plunket Shield ladder.
Canterbury's five-wicket win against the Otago Volts in Rangiora saw them overtake both Northern Districts and Central to top the table as the competition breaks now for the Super Smash T20 competition.
The back half of the eight-round Plunket Shield will resume in early-March (following the conclusion of Ford Trophy 50-over competition) with Canterbury holding a narrow four-point lead.
On a flat deck, ND captain Raval's marathon century, followed by a swashbuckling unbeaten 59 from Neil Wagner, saw ND deny CD a shot at outright points - but Central almost closed the gap on their rivals in this round, ND now only one point ahead of them.
Central allrounder Will Clark took a maiden five-wicket bag and scored a maiden century in the match.
The match concluded with CD wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver bowling his first over of domestic cricket. The leg-spinner showing his versatility as he sent down four medium pace deliveries followed by two off-spin deliveries for a maiden before the captains shook hands.
The defending champion Wellington Firebirds were also fourth round victors, getting their first win of the season by four wickets against the Auckland Aces earlier in the day, to move up to fourth spot.
Otago's second innings batting heroics and record-equalling partnership ultimately could not prevent Canterbury from chasing down 302 for a clinical five-wicket win, the winning run ticked off with four overs left in the day.
Opener Rhys Mariu got Canterbury off to a good start by churning out another 70 runs, off just 80 balls, with contributions from captain Cole McConchie (66), Chad Bowes (46), Mitch Hay (55) and an unbeaten 46 from Michael Rippon ensuring a steady march to victory.
Volts paceman Jarrod McKay found himself as the top bowler in the competition for the first time, with 16 wickets from four matches, while Firebirds leg-spinner Peter Younghusband rocketed into second spot with 15 victims after his maiden 10-wickets-in-a-match performance in Auckland.
The pair overtook regular suspects Danru Ferns (Auckland) and Travis Muller (Otago), both on 14.
In the batting stakes, Canterbury sensation Mariu continues to top the pops with 590 runs from just three matches.
Firebirds skipper Nick Kelly holds second spot with 551 runs after three centuries in four rounds, and senior pro Raval is in third with 434 runs.
SLOWEST FIRST-CLASS CENTURIES
9 hours and 17 minutes: Mudassar Nazar, Pakistan vs England, Lahore, 1977-78
9 hours and 16 minutes: S Ramesh, TN vs Kerala, Chennai, 2001-02
9 hours and 11 minutes: Jeet Raval, ND v CD, Mt Maunganui, 2024-25