Otago's batting line-up had a fragile look about it and proved flimsy on the opening day of the Volts' Plunket Shield campaign.
The visiting side posted a modest 207 against Central Districts in Napier yesterday.
In reply, the home side was 67 for none at stumps. Both Jamie How and Ben Smith had got through to 28.
Without Hamish Rutherford (injured) and Neil Broom (transferred to Canterbury), Otago's batting order looked heavily reliant on the likes of Aaron Redmond, Jesse Ryder and Michael Bracewell.
Bracewell picked up where he left off last summer with a half-century. But Redmond's innings lasted just seven balls and it was not Ryder's day either. He nicked out for 13.
Inexperienced opener Ryan Duffy dug in for 23 off 81 deliveries before he got an edge from the bowling of Doug Bracewell.
And fellow newbie Brad Rodden was trapped in front for just five. Sam Wells (30) and Mark Craig (50) put on a valuable 48 for the seventh-wicket but Central was able to wrap up the innings relatively quickly once the partnership was broken.
Doug Bracewell accounted for both openers and finished with three for 64. Ben Wheeler (two for 25) and Seth Rance (two for 33) were both effective and economical, and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel also grabbed two wickets.
Otago sprang a surprise in the field, opting to open with Ryder and Neil Wagner. Wagner was expected but Ryder, well, that came as a shock even though he has been in good form with the ball for county side Essex.
Ryder was guilty of over-stepping and gave up five no-balls. But other than that he was tidy. Wagner also had problems keeping his foot behind the line with two no-balls.
• Auckland made a good start to its campaign with a five-wicket win against Northern Districts in Whangarei yesterday.
Auckland resumed at eight for none, needing a further 203 runs to secure an outright.
Opener Jeet Raval set the platform with an innings of 90 and Carl Cachopa also posted a half-century, getting through to 52 before he was undone. Graeme Aldridge was the pick of the bowlers with two for 33 from 14 overs. Spinner Ish Sodhi also claimed two wickets.
• At Hagley Oval, Wellington began day two at 56 for one in reply to Canterbury's first-innings effort of 242.
Michael Papps (67) and James Franklin (62) posted half-centuries to add to a solid-looking scoreboard in which everyone contributed.
Mark Gillespie smashed a quickfire 29 in a damaging 48-run stand for the ninth wicket with Jeetan Patel (28) to help Wellington reach 343.
Canterbury seamer Andrew Ellis removed both openers and was rewarded with four for 86, and Ryan McCone took two for 40.
At stumps, Canterbury was 36 without loss in its second innings.
