Otago coach Mike Hesson has put the disappointment of the Champions League behind him and is busy working on plugging the gaps in the first-class side.
The Volts arrived back from the $US6 million ($NZ7.9 million) twenty/20 tournament in India on Friday after crashing out of the tournament following back-to-back losses to South Africa's Cape Cobras and India's Bangalore Royal Challengers.
The players will not have much time to adjust to the more sedate pace of four-day cricket with the opening game of the season just over three weeks away.
There are some big holes to fill, with wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum, all-rounders Nathan McCullum and Ian Butler, and batsmen Aaron Redmond and Neil Broom all selected for New Zealand's one-day and twenty/20 series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The other notable vacancy is the spot English international Dimitri Mascarenhas occupied.
The big hitting all-rounder will not be returning, with Hesson confirming Otago was hopeful of signing a replacement overseas player for the twenty/20 and one-day tournaments by the end of the week.
The batting order, in particular, has been ravaged, with four of the five unavailable Black Caps able to bat in the top six.
Otago has a three-day trial scheduled in Alexandra starting on October 25 and it is an opportunity for the likes of Darren Broom, Sean Eathorne and Shaun Haig to press for inclusion.
"We have been able to get together a pretty useful squad of promising players, players who are really looking for opportunities.
"It's an exciting time."
Darren Broom, Neil Broom's younger brother, has made a good start to the summer with back-to-back centuries for North East Valley.
Broom (24) has played three one-dayers for Canterbury and a twenty/20 fixture with limited success, but he was one of the leading batsmen in the Christchurch club competition last season and has transferred south in search of opportunities.
"I know Darren well in terms of how he plays but I'm also very pleased with how Michael Bracewell is playing.
"He has scored a lot of runs.
"Shaun Haig and Sean Eathorne have followed on from where they left off in September and Leighton Morgan is playing well.
"So there are a number of players who are putting their hand up."
The seam bowling stocks have not been as badly affected, although Otago's spin bowling options have been reduced with Nathan McCullum and Redmond out.
Promising left-arm spinner Nick Beard (20) made his debut last season and is sure to get more opportunities this summer.
Experienced campaigner Warren McSkimming, James McMillan, Neil Wagner and Mat Harvie provide plenty of pace bowling options.
The South African-born Wagner was the leading wicket-taker in the one-day competition last season, but was not as formidable in the four-dayers.
He will be looking to turn that around.
The Volts have struggled to take 20 wickets in the past three seasons with Hesson acknowledging his side had not delivered in the longer form of the game.
However, New Zealand Cricket has sent the major associations a clear message by scheduling the twenty/20 tournament during a gap in the international season.
It now appears obvious twenty/20 is the premier competition on the domestic calendar.
"I think from a sponsor's point of view, and from the way New Zealand cricket are going to look at marketing the game, twenty/20 is certainly now the highest ranking competition.
"The lure of the Champions League has just added to that.
"But we still take the one-day and four-day competition as being hugely important to us."
Otago starts its campaign with a four-day match against Northern Districts at the University Oval on November 10.
