The Volts sent Craig Cumming into retirement with a comprehensive innings and 64-run defeat of Wellington at the University Oval yesterday.
They were also unlucky not to beat Canterbury the previous week when bad light brought the game to a controversial close.
Arguably, Otago played its best cricket in the last game of the summer. Hamish Rutherford emerged as an exciting prospect with a stunning innings of 239 to set up Otago's huge win, and Neil Wagner took seven wickets in Wellington's first innings.
It was a fitting farewell for Cumming, who has served the province so admirably for the last 12 years.
He wound up his 19-year career with a solid 56, had two brief stints at the bowling crease and spent a lot of time under the helmet at short leg.
He was clapped on and off the field and his wife, children and father were there to witness his last day of first-class cricket.
Johnson was pleased Cumming bowed out a winner but he was also frustrated his side had left its run so late.
Some poor batting at the top of the order proved costly.
Otago was twice dismissed for just 63 this season and struggled to post competitive scores.
Jimmy Neesham had a good debut season, Ian Butler came back well after an injury and form setback, Wagner picked up 46 wickets, and Rutherford scored 607 runs in the month of March.
There were other "unfinished products" in the team which led Johnson to believe Otago was well placed to improve next season.
"If you look at other guys like Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell and Sam Wells, we've got a good young group and I think the future looks very bright for Otago. We've just got to learn and be smarter about how we approach some things.
"I think the players have learned, certainly in the last month or so, that by batting time in four-day cricket it is always going to be beneficial."
Wellington resumed yesterday on 207 for six, needing a further 200 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Harry Boam could only add two runs to his overnight score, but Luke Woodcock posted his 27th first-class century, and an entertaining last-wicket stand of 65 runs between Andy McKay (34 not out) and Scott Kuggeleijn (36) saw Wellington reach 343.
The pair survived some close calls. Sam Wells dropped the simplest of catches and a mis-timed pull shot went straight up into the air but fell harmlessly.
Otago searched impatiently for the final breakthrough before Nathan McCullum collected a caught and bowled opportunity and threw the ball hard into the turf out of frustration.
Wagner finished with nine for 148 for the match but McCullum (four for 85) and Neesham (two for 39) had better figures in Wellington's second innings.
Otago managed to avoid the wooden spoon, finishing on 61 points to Canterbury's 57.
• Central Districts also picked up a victory on the final day of the domestic season yesterday, with Plunket Shield winner Northern Districts showing signs of a champagne hangover, APNZ reported.
The Knights secured the trophy with a day to spare on Wednesday, and the final day of their match against Central Districts suggested they may have enjoyed a big night. Northern crumbled to 169 all out in Napier to hand the Stags a 252-run win and, with it, second spot on the final Plunket Shield standings.
Leg-spinner Tarun Nethula pressed his claim for elevation to the national side with a five-wicket bag, while Brooke Hatwell's 47 was as good as it got for a Knights side which looked keen to resume the celebrations.
The other match in the round, between Auckland and Canterbury at Colin Maiden Park, ended in a draw after the Aces set the visiting side an unrealistic final-day chase of 361.
Anaru Kitchen's century enabled Auckland to declare on 271 for four, but Canterbury never really had a crack at its mammoth target, reaching 189 for four at stumps.
