Draw is such an ugly word in cricket.
It is usually interpreted as a tame or even limp conclusion when really Otago's draw with Central Districts was anything but.
The drama the final hour promised, though, slipped away as Central Districts' last pair stonewalled long enough to deny the match an exciting run chase.
With an hour to go and a minimum of 15 overs available, Central was 239 for nine and nursed a lead of just 112. Had a wicket fallen then, Otago would have had a golden opportunity to claim the win it so richly deserved. But Central added three further runs in the next seven overs to kill off the game.
Otago outplayed the visiting side but ultimately an entire day's play was lost on Saturday and that made forcing a result difficult.
Perhaps the home side could have declared during the evening session on Sunday. But Volts coach Vaughn Johnson was not convinced it would have made a difference.
''It was disappointing to get that close and not win but we lost 110 overs or something like that in the game,'' he said.
''I was proud of the way the guys fought all the way to the end. It was a day when we didn't have a lot of early success and they could have switched off ... but they stuck at it.
''Young Jacob Duffy is getting better which will give him confidence. And as a group we bowled well.''
Duffy did not take any wickets yesterday but he took three for 50 in the first innings in what has otherwise been a difficult season for the 19-year-old.
Jimmy Neesham and James McMillan were the pick of the Otago bowlers, taking three wickets apiece.
The game was drifting towards a draw but came alive when the pair claimed three quick wickets with the second new ball.
Up until that point it felt a bit like watching someone drain a bathtub with a teaspoon. It was painfully slow progress chipping out wickets.
Will Young anchored Central's innings with a fine knock. He was dropped in the slips on 69 but had otherwise looked assured and destined to raise his second first-class hundred.
Heartbreak rather than joy awaited the promising 21-year-old. He nicked out on 99. It was a very decent ball from Neesham but perhaps Young would have defended it if his score was in the 80s.
McMillan struck in the next over, sending Roald Badenhorst's off-stump cartwheeling, and then Neesham trapped Tarun Nethula lbw for a duck.
Only No 10 Adam Milne and No 11 Ajaz Patel blocked the prospect of perhaps Jesse Ryder joining Neil Broom or Aaron Redmond at the top of the Otago order and kick-starting a chase of say 120 from 13 or 14 overs.
The Volts just could not get that last wicket.
Otago (39) claimed four batting bonus points and three bowling bonus points from the match and remains third in the competition behind Canterbury (62) and Wellington (50).
Auckland (37), after an outright win over Northern Districts, climbs from last to fourth. Northern (32) and Central (29) make up the bottom two places.
The Plunket Shield will take a break with the HRV Cup resuming on Friday. Otago's next first-class match is against Canterbury in Dunedin on January 23-26.
Otago's team for its twenty20 match against Auckland at Molyneux Park on Friday will be named on Boxing Day.
