Wellington, March 12 NZPA - It was the turn of two rawboned teenagers to expose Wellington's Plunket Shield cricket shortcomings today.

Central Districts seam bowlers Doug Bracewell, 19, and Adam Milne, 17, combined to roll Wellington for 250 on the opening day of their four-day fixture at McLean Park in Napier.

Bracewell's reward was career-best figures of five for 47, his first five-wicket bag at first-class level in his 10th match, while Milne, in his second game at this level, also impressed in taking four for 49.

Their opening batsmen then survived seven overs to stumps, with Jamie How and Brad Patton set to resume tomorrow on 13 and 10 respectively with Central Districts 25 without loss.

Palmerston North medium-fast bowler Milne showed he was not out of place by dismissing Cameron Merchant for 63, Michael Pollard for 31 and international Jeetan Patel for 26 as Central Districts backed up their captain Jamie How's decision to field first.

Having entering the eighth round match on the back of four successive heavy defeats, Wellington's shaky confidence was not helped by another faltering start as they lost both openers Matthew Bell and Stephen Murdoch inside six overs to livewire Bracewell.

Neal Parlane then came and went cheaply to become Bracewell's third victim before Merchant set about repairing the damage.

He did that to a degree by batting for almost three hours before Milne induced a false stroke, then Luke Woodcock, Wellington's best batsman this summer, held up the home side's advance by making a patient, unbeaten 73 in 200 minutes.

He lacked support, though, because at the other end Bracewell continued to strike, dismissing Andrew Lamb and Ili Tugaga to snare his five-wicket haul.