The faces will be the same but who knows which Otago team will show up at the Basin Reserve today - the group capable of winning the one-day competition or the other lot, a side destined for a middle-of the-table finish.
Otago will front the same 12 for the crucial State Shield match against Wellington that played so well against Central Districts last week.
But it is also the same side that let itself down against Auckland with a below-par performance on Sunday.
The Volts' one-day campaign has been dogged by inconsistency, with each good performance generally followed by a feeble showing. And the batting has been a real roller-coaster.
Otago reached dizzy heights against Central, plundering 321 for five with Aaron Redmond and Alex Gidman striking centuries.
But fours days later, on the same pitch, Otago could muster just 207 for nine from 49 overs against Auckland, arguably leaving itself 40 runs short of a competitive total.
Despite Otago's fluctuating fortunes, it still lies in second place with 16 points. Auckland enjoys a ninepoint buffer at the top of the table, but there is a logjam in the middle with Central and Canterbury two points behind Otago, and Wellington (11) and Northern Districts (10) still not out of the hunt for a play-off spot.
With three round-robin matches left, Otago simply cannot afford another slip-up.
‘‘The theme through the competition to date has been a good performance followed by an average performance,'' Otago captain Craig Cumming said.
‘‘We've shown, when we play to our potential, we can score big runs and wipe teams off the park. So that's our challenge for the next three games, to get consistent performances.''
Cumming has been on duty with the national side and has played three of the seven oneday matches, but he puts the mixed results down to approach.
‘‘When the guys' backs are to the wall they come out and be a bit more positive and probably play more carefree, which allows them to play to their potential,'' Cumming said.
Otago will need to be at its best against a Wellington side with a dangerous-looking batting line-up, including former Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming, test opener Matthew Bell, the Parlane brothers Michael and Neal, and in-form all-rounder Grant Elliott. Iain O'Brien will spearhead an under-powered bowling attack.
Wellington beat Otago by three wickets in round two and will be desperate to keep its play-off hopes alive. A loss would leave it only a long shot to make the semifinals.
Two wins from three should be enough for Otago to earn a semifinal, but three wins should get it a home venue. Unless the wheels suddenly fall off Auckland's season the defending champion looks to have all but booked a home final on March 2.
New Zealand gave India a run for its money before losing an under-19 World Cup warm-up match by six runs in Malaysia, NZPA reported yesterday.
The New Zealanders impressed by scoring 275 for eight chasing India's 281 for nine in Kuala Lumpur.
After collapsing to 57 for three New Zealand showed spirit as opener George Worker and Corey Anderson featured in a 115-run fourth-wicket partnership, while Fraser Colson and Anurag Verma added 66 for the ninth wicket.
Worker scored 69 from 111 balls with five fours, Anderson slapped three sixes and three fours from 84 balls in making 56 Colson chipped in with 36 not out and Verma contributed 29 not out.
Indian fast bowler Pradeep Sanghwan showed fire and venom to return figures of four for 52
