Alexandra central to Walter's plan

Otago coach Rob Walter has a bold plan to move the Volts forward and he wants to do it with more or less the same players.

That is a surprising part of the plan when you considered Otago finished last in all three formats this season.

But Walter believes he can tweak more out of his troops, and one of the ways he can find an extra few percent is by spending more time baking under the hot sun in Central Otago.

''The key is to find as many areas as we can where we can practise outdoors ... considering we spent the majority of the winter indoors,'' Walter said.

''The average rainfall and temperatures tell you that that is the place to look at that is close enough to use.

''Last year we had four outstanding days in Alex [Alexandra] and, hopefully, we will have a few more days there this year and utilise that as a resource which is part of our catchment area.''

Walter is even considering playing some pre-season games in Australia in order to give his side the best possible preparation.

The Otago Cricket Association exhausted most of its cash reserves upgrading the embankments, so financing the plans may be an issue. And the more pressing priority is to develop additional practice nets at the University Oval.

''I know Mike [Coggan, Otago Cricket Association chief executive] is pushing really hard with New Zealand Cricket and with the council to get more nets put in so we can have decent outdoor nets here.''

Otago certainly needs to do something differently. It has not won the first-class tournament in 29 years and it was off the pace again this summer.

Walter felt last-place finishes in all three formats was not a fair reflection of the season.

''There were numerous individual performances which were the best in the country but we had to look at how we developed young guys this season - mostly because we had to.

''But we've done it now and a guy like Nathan Smith has taken a first-class five-wicket bag at age 18. He has made 50 and batted to save a game at age 18 in first-class cricket against a very good and hugely experienced line-up.

''Michael Rae has taken 21 wickets in a the second half of the four-day competition and doubled his career tally.''

The more experienced Brad Wilson and Anaru Kitchen were the top two scorers in the Plunket Shield, and Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom were prolific when available, both averaging more than 50.

The problem was more with the bowling. While Rae and Smith made positive strides, for the most part the attack lacked potency.

''We just lacked firepower with the ball consistently through the season, so you are going to struggle to win the four-day competition.

''But we could have easily beaten Auckland in Auckland and Central Districts here and won the last game against Northern Districts.

''That would have been four wins. The side that won the competition only won four games.

''We weren't far off. We just didn't capitalise on key moments during the season. In four-day cricket we had quite a few blowout sessions where we lost five or six wickets.

''The ND game is the perfect example. We won nine sessions out of 12 but lost the game. So that tells you a story about the type of cricket we played.''

Despite Otago's failings, Walter suggested there were unlikely to be wholesale changes.

''I can't see many changes being made really. We may be in a position where we are forced to make changes with guys being retained or losing national contracts.

''But before we can contract other players we have to understand how that is going to impact us. But our bowling was [not strong enough] to win the four-day campaign.

''But in the same breath we saw Michael Rae and Nathan Smith continue their progression, and if we have Neil Wagner and Jimmy Neesham for games then all of a sudden the bowling looks totally different.''