None more so than the form of skipper Craig Cumming.
The Volts resumed yesterday on 165 for one, with Cumming needing a further nine runs to complete his 16th first-class century.
With his opening scoring shot the right-hander brought up 7000 first-class runs when he clipped Bradley Scott through the covers for four.
Shortly after, he raised three figures.
It was Cumming's 14th century for Otago and he drew level with Ken Rutherford.
Only Bert Sutcliffe has scored more 100s for Otago with 17.
Cumming is also clawing his way up the Otago run-scorers' leaderboard and moved into fourth place with his tally of 168 for the match, leapfrogging Chris Gaffaney and Glenn Turner.
There was no wild celebration when Cumming notched his 100.
He raised his bat briefly and politely nodded in the direction of the Otago dressing room, then promptly scratched out his mark at the crease.
He seemed determined to go on and make a big score to help dig his side out of the hole it had created for itself after being bowled out for a paltry 88 in its first innings.
It was not to be, though.
On 126 he tried to dab a leg-side delivery from left-arm spinner Anton Devcich around the corner, but keeper Peter McGlashan caught up with it and clung on after bobbling it.
"He looked in good touch in the first innings and obviously getting 100 was good," Hesson said of Cumming.
"But I think he'd acknowledge it was an opportunity to get a big 100 and he'll be a bit disappointed."
Cumming has been in and out of the test side but Hesson believes his charge deserves another crack.
"I'm not sure which way they [the selectors] are going to go but he is certainly in good form and, if he got given that opportunity, I'm sure he wouldn't let the side down."
New Zealand A will play Pakistan in a three-day warm-up match in Queenstown next week and, if Cumming is going to get the nod for the first test against the tourists in Dunedin, one would think he would need to play in the warm-up game.
With Cumming back in the shed an early finish to the Plunket Shield seemed likely.
Soon after he departed, Hamish Rutherford spooned a return catch to Kane Williamson.
Shaun Haig bounced back from a duck in the first innings, getting through to 49, and Derek de Boorder chipped in with 24.
But once that partnership was broken Northern Districts had little problem prising the long tail out.
Otago was dismissed for 334, leaving Northern Dis-tricts seeking 13 runs for victory.
Michael Parlane scored all 13 runs.
"I think the toss was very important," Hesson said after the match.
"But in saying that we were obviously inserted with difficult overhead conditions and surface and didn't respond very well. We've certainly got to look at ourselves for that."
Aside from Cumming, Hesson thought Leighton Morgan (51) and Haig responded well after making ducks in the first innings, and Nick Beard bowled well.
The Volts have struggled to take 20 wickets in a match in the past three seasons and went into the game with an extra bowler.
"That is something we want to do because we want to try and win games. But in order for that to work we need people to contribute right through the order and we weren't able to do that in this match."
Joseph Yovich capped off a brilliant game with three for 29.
His undefeated 128 helped set up the victory and he was the pick of the seamers.
