Otago is languishing in last place in the Plunket Shield following a 102-run loss to Wellington at the Queenstown Events Centre yesterday.
Chasing an unlikely 391 runs to win, the star-studded Volts line-up was bowled out for 288.
Jimmy Neesham top-scored with a bright innings of 65, and Derek de Boorder provided some starch in the middle order with an unbeaten 50.
But the talisman, Neil Broom, was undone for 14 and captain Hamish Rutherford could not go on after posting 36 at the top of the innings.
"We just weren't able to get a big enough partnership, and one or two individuals were not able to kick on and score a hundred-plus score which we really required,'' Volts coach Nathan King said.
The loss has left Otago rooted to the bottom of the competition standings with three losses from four games.
Wellington moved into top spot with 60 points. Auckland beat Canterbury by five wickets at Hagley Oval and is in second place on the same number of points. Canterbury is still well placed with 46 points despite the defeat.
Northern Districts smashed Central Districts by 284 runs at McLean Park and is in fourth place with 37 points.
Central is fifth with 25 points, while Otago has just 19 points.
Otago started the day at 13 for one, needing a further 378 runs to snatch a win.
Rutherford and the nightwatchman, Craig Smith, made a solid start, guiding the Volts through to 57 before Rutherford made a mistake. His replacement at the crease, Michael Bracewell, was out moments later.
Broom got a start but with his dismissal, Otago's prospects of salvaging a draw shrank considerably.
Smith did a good job for his side, getting through to 41, but also perished before the break.
At lunch, Otago was 116 for five with Neesham and de Boorder at the crease.
The pair put on 73 for the sixth wicket with Neesham striking 11 boundaries in his 62-ball innings.
"We just asked them to play their natural game,'' King responded when asked if he had instructed his side to stop playing shots and bat for time.
"I still think that is important in four day cricket when you are trying to grind out a draw.
"I guess we've got to try to take the positive approach when we are sitting at the bottom of the table. The only way to move up is to get some results.''
De Boorder and Mark Craig were left the job of balancing survival and the desire to play positive cricket.
The former kept his wicket intact but the latter was out shortly after the tea break.
No11 Jacob Duffy help stave off defeat for a good half an hour.
He combined in a 40-run stand with de Boorder and helped the wicketkeeper get through to a half century.
Otago will return to Dunedin and will host Northern Districts at the University Oval in a four-dayer beginning on Saturday.
