Emily Drumm outscored long-time White Ferns and State Auckland Hearts team-mate Rebecca Rolls, but her State Northern Spirit side fell to a six-wicket defeat by her old province at Melville Park.
Auckland secured the bonus point they desperately needed when they beat Northern Districts with one ball left in the 39th over.
Drumm scored 115 as she led ND to 196 for six from their 50 overs, with support coming from captain Nicola Browne with 38. Prashilla Mistry took three wickets for 40, while Debbie Ramsay conceded only 16 runs from her eight tidy overs.
Northern Districts were sent in by Auckland captain Rolls, and were three down before the score reached 50.
But Drumm and Browne then cut loose, adding 130 before Browne became one of Mistry’s victims.
Drumm’s century was her fifth at this level, and a new record score for ND v Auckland. She also holds the record for the highest score for Auckland against her current side.
Rolls ultimately guided Auckland to victory, but they began poorly. Michelle Lynch was run out without facing a ball and Ros Kember also went for a duck, with the score at five.
But Rolls was in fluent form and hit her 75 from only 53 balls.
Elfriede Komp battled away at the other end, Helen Watson replaced Rolls and scored at nearly the same speed.
Komp eventually went for a career-best 34, and then Wendy Horneman joined Watson in an unbroken fifth-wicket record partnership of 48 to see Auckland through to victory.
Watson finished with 62 off 61 balls - like Rolls, she hit eight fours and two sixes.
Auckland needs to repeat their victory in the second match of the weekend’s double-header to maintain their chances of a return to the State League final.
