Four of the visitors got past 50 to help their side reached 301 for six at stumps yesterday.
Volts coach Rob Walter felt the honours were shared, although his side dropped several chances and was not as clinical as he would have hoped.
But the bowling effort, for the most part, was honest on what is a low and slow surface.
Northern Districts made a solid start with former international Daniel Flynn and Black Cap BJ Watling putting on 76 for the first wicket.Flynn, though, rather threw his wicket away on 26. He slugged a delivery from Michael Rippon to the fielder at midwicket.
Watling will not be happy with the mode of his dismissal either. He tried to slap a Jacob Duffy delivery through point and got an edge to the keeper.
But Dean Brownlie claimed the prize for the ugliest dismissal. He fell into an awkward pull shot and dragged it on.
Northern had slumped to 120 for four but Anton Devcich and Daryl Mitchell, who was dropped early in his innings, steered their side to tea without further loss.
Devcich was trapped lbw by Rippon second ball after the break for 54.
Mitchell posted 60 before he made his next mistake. He got a leading edge back to the bowler Duffy.
Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert brought up the fourth 50 of the innings late in the day and will resume unbeaten on 63 with Ish Sodhi at the wicket with him on 14.
Duffy was the best of the Otago seamers with two for 47 from 19 overs, while Rippon also picked up two wickets in a busy day at the crease which saw him get through 29 overs.
The Dutch international is batting at No 3 in the line-up so he is carrying a heavy workload.
In the other games, Central Districts seamer Blair Tickner grabbed a hat trick to help dismiss competition leader Wellington for just 171 at Nelson’s Saxton Oval.
He removed Jeetan Patel, Ollie Newton and debutant Travis Muller in the 49th over and finished with four for 45. Fraser Colson top-scored for Wellington with 88.
Central made a terrible start to its reply with Greg Hay nicking out first ball. Fellow opener Mitch Renwick also made a duck to leave his side 12 for two.
At stumps, the home side had recovered somewhat to reach 114 for five.
Auckland crashed to be all out for 181 at home at Eden Park Outer Oval. Canterbury’s Daniel Sams took four for 55 and clouted 57 from 51 balls to help his side reach 194 for eight at stumps.
