It finished day two of the Plunket Shield match against Central Districts with a 24-run lead early in its second innings.
After Otago bowled the hosts out for 265, its openers Hamish Rutherford and Mitch Renwick put on an unbeaten stand of 45 to finish the day.
It leaves Otago with the chance to take the upper hand, provided its batsmen can capitalise today.
It also marks a considerable fightback, given it had been 93 for five at lunch on day one.
While the opening stand was handy, it was the work with the ball that put Otago back into a competitive spot.
Seamers Travis Muller, Angus McKenzie and Matt Bacon took two wickets each, while spinner Michael Rippon picked up three late ones to prevent the tail doing damage.
Central started the day at 21 without loss, before Muller claimed Greg Hay for 13, the opening batsman edging through to Otago keeper Max Chu.
Bayley Wiggins fell to McKenzie for 30 with 55 runs on the board, before a 98-run stand between Dane Cleaver and Brad Schmulian put Central firmly in control.
It took a run out to break that partnership.
Renwick whipped off the bails with Cleaver just short of his ground on 48, after a slight moment of confusion between the runners.
Schmulian reached 60 before being bowled by Bacon, while Tom Bruce added 35 to have Central at 208 for five when Bacon claimed his scalp.
At that point it trailed the Volts by 36 runs and, with five wickets in hand, still held the upper hand.
Doug Bracewell and Ben Wheeler all but wiped out that difference.
But Rippon stepped in to bowl Bracewell for 26 and McKenzie claimed Wheeler the next over.
From there Rippon claimed two more wickets, while Muller added one to his tally.
It left Central with a lead of 21 runs, but that quickly disappeared as Rutherford and Renwick brought an attacking mindset with the bat.
Renwick hit three consecutive fours off the final three balls of Wheeler's first over to signal that intent.
He finished on 18, while Rutherford remained with him on 27.
Meanwhile at the Basin Reserve Canterbury worked its way into a strong position against Wellington.
Ken McClure scored 130 to help it to 247 for four at stumps on day two, giving it a 269-run lead after both teams struggled with the bat on day one.
Earlier Canterbury bowled Wellington out for 134, having had it at 102 for eight at stumps on day one.
