The defending champion Volts have now won their last 11 consecutive HRV Cup games and, while it was perhaps not their most polished performance, there was enough evidence to suggest their will to win has not faded.
Captain Derek de Boorder (43) and Aaron Redmond (33) combined in a 70-run stand for the third wicket which formed the spine of Otago's 168 for nine.
That total appeared to be on the modest side of competitive but Otago produced an excellent bowling display to win the game with comfort, dismissing Canterbury for 121.
''I thought we were pretty clinical, really,'' Otago coach Vaughn Johnson said.
''I thought we were 15 to 20 runs short. We did not finish our innings well. But in terms of our bowling and our fielding, I thought it was top-drawer. The boys executed very well in the field and they were well up for it.''
The Volts should have posted a score of 180-plus but they lost valuable momentum in the final third of their innings. They scored just two boundaries in the last seven overs and lost five wickets in the last two overs.
Seamer Logan van Beek did his part with some clever bowling at the death. He got rid of danger man Ryan ten Doeschate by sticking to plan A. Ten Doeschate likes to hit to the on side, so Canterbury bowled full and wide of off stump to make it as hard as possible for the Dutch international to plunder the midwicket boundary.
It did not always work, with ten Doeschate whacking 35 from 26 deliveries, but eventually he dragged a delivery back on to his stumps which probably would have been wided had he let it go.
That was the turning point in Otago's innings. His departure in the 19th over triggered a mighty collapse with Michael Bracewell and Sam Wells holing out and Neil Wagner and Mark Craig getting themselves run out.
The initiative had shifted to Canterbury. On a big ground, 168 felt very frail. But veteran pace bowler James McMillan (35) had other ideas. He is in a fine vein of form and bowled superbly at the top of the innings, taking two for 18 from four overs.
Jacob Duffy struggled and was quickly replaced at the crease by Wagner, who bowled tremendously, taking two for 11 from three overs including the key wicket of Dean Brownlie for nine.
Offspinner Craig removed the other major threat in Canterbury's batting line-up, bowling Rob Nicol for 31.
The batsman had come down the crease looking to get to the pitch of the ball, but was yorked by a fine delivery which dipped and sneaked under the bat.
Craig doubled his career haul of wickets with three for 29. Ten Doeschate took two for 27 and was also part of a superbly disciplined bowling effort with the one notable exception of Duffy. He overstepped twice and bowled a couple of wides and just generally looked rusty.
''Jake had a bit of an off night but he'll come back, but the rest of them bowled very well,'' Johnson said.
''I'm very pleased for Mark Craig, who came into the side and performed well. I was also very pleased with Neil Wagner, and McMillan just continued his form from India.''
The game was played under temporary lights which will be used at the University Oval this week when Otago hosts a double-header.
Those lights received mixed reviews from the Volts coach.
''I was a little bit disappointed with one or two of the executions on the boundary and I think that was because the boys were hanging back because it was a bit hard to see in some of the corners.''
Bracewell shelved two catches in the outfield and Sam Wells also bobbled one before eventually clinching it. Canterbury had difficulties picking it up as well. Ten Doeschate told Sky Sport there were some dark corners but the light was fine in the middle where it mattered the most.
Canterbury's game against Central Districts on Friday night was abandoned because of rain. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is returning home from Bangladesh earlier than expected after a scan revealed a back injury.
McCullum missed last night's third and final ODI and will not play in the sole T20 match after an MRI scan showed he needed to begin rehabilitation to be ready for the arrival of the West Indies at the end of the month.
''Brendon's back needs careful management,'' New Zealand physiotherapist Paul Close said.
''It's flared up again and is giving him significant pain.''
- Additional reporting, The New Zealand Herald
