Otago will be hoping for any assistance it can get when its match with Auckland resumes at Eden Park Outer Oval this morning.
The Plunket Shield fixture is evenly poised. The Aces were 104 for two at stumps and lead by 116 runs with two days remaining. But the Volts are the more needy side. They desperately require the competition points to remain in contention.
A good hour this morning could make all the difference to their campaign. Last week the Volts took five wickets in 60 minutes on the last morning of their game against Northern Districts.
That effort helped seal a dramatic 61-run win. It was humidity which helped then but perhaps spin will prove the key this time.
Carisbrook-Dunedin legspinner Rhys Phillips picked up a late wicket and three in Auckland's first innings. Otago's first priority will be to lever out nightwatchman Tarun Nethula and stop opener Jeet Raval before he can add much more to his overnight score of 49.
There was just a dozen runs separating the teams after their respective first innings.
Auckland had slumped to 52 for three on Saturday with Craig Smith and Jack Hunter combining to remove the top order.
But the home side rallied to reach 277. Rob Nicol top-scored with 60. Colin de Grandhomme scored 59 from 54 balls and Nathan McAndrew added a valuable 42.
All three were undone by Phillips, who came into the team as a replacement for Nathan McCullum.
He enticed Nicol into a rash shot, trapped the heavy-hitting de Grandhomme lbw and McAndrew mistimed a pull shot to midwicket.
All-rounder Sam Wells grabbed three as well. He bowled nice and straight and picked up a trio of lbw decisions, including his 100th first-class dismissal when he removed Brad Cachopa.
Otago's reply got off to a promising start with the opening pair adding 86 before Anaru Kitchen played the wrong line and got a faint edge through to the keeper on 53. He brought up 3000 first-class runs during the innings.
Michael Bracewell could not get going and Brad Wilson's patient knock of 42 ended disappointingly when he spooned a catch into the leg side.
Jimmy Neesham was a little unlucky to be run out on 39. He was scampering back for a second and seemingly on track to make it. But keeper Cachopa collected the throw smartly and whipped the bails off in flash with a backhand flick.
Otago keeper Derek de Boorder was left batting with the tail and had to do most of the scoring himself.
His 52 helped lift Otago to 265 and trim the deficit to 12 runs.
In the other matches, Wellington trails Central Districts by 193 runs with five first innings wickets in hand at McLean Park.
George Worker (121) and Dane Cleaver (151 not out) helped Central post 424 for six declared. Wellington was 231 for five at stumps.
In Hamilton, Canterbury is building a healthy first innings lead. It is 409 for seven at stumps in reply to Northern Districts effort of 257.
Canterbury's Andrew Ellis (143) and Ken McClure(96) put on 235 for the fifth wicket.
