Only two games into the Ford Trophy, Otago is already almost in must-win territory for its game against Central Districts in New Plymouth tomorrow.
Otago is bottom of the table with two losses and coach Nathan King said the match against Central Districts shaped as a big encounter.
‘‘It is lining up as a key game, really. There are only eight games in the competition so you can't afford to lose too many,'' he said.
‘‘You may be able to get through to the top four with three wins, four wins you'll make it. But we need to get a bit of a roll on.''
Otago has been average in each facet of the game in its first two games in Alexandra.
Against Auckland it scored more than 300 runs but then did not bowl well enough and Auckland got home with three balls to spare.
Then when facing Canterbury on Wednesday. Otago did well to limit the red and blacks to 228 but let itself down in the batting department and was all out for 163 in the 40th over.
King said there was some bad decision-making in the match against Canterbury and the side lost too many wickets early on.
‘‘We did really well with the ball but we just did not back it up with the bat. They did have a good bowling line-up, probably the best in the competition, but you'd back yourself to score that total most days.''
But the result had been put behind them and focus has switched to Central Districts and a match at Pukekura Park.
The picturesque ground is known for its short boundaries but King said that could be deceiving.
‘‘The boundaries are still something like 60m in places and most grounds are like that now. Players sometimes think the boundaries are a bit smaller that what they actually are. You see a lot of guys caught on the boundary there.''
Central Districts had a good win over Wellington on Wednesday, when George Worker scored a century and Jesse Ryder was also among the runs.
Ryder, the former Otago player, will be a key wicket to get early and Worker, who has just been released from Black Caps duty, is also a key man.
Otago brings back paceman Jacob Duffy, who was rested for the first two one-day games. He replaces Bradley Scott.
King said Nathan McCullum was making progress from a knee injury and could be right in about 10 days.
His experience would be welcomed although King said the side was not panicking after two losses.
The game tomorrow is the first of four for Otago on the road. It plays Canterbury at the Hagley Oval on January 6, Northern Districts at Whangarei on January 10 and Wellington at the Basin Reserve on January 13.
It then returns home to take on Northern Districts at the University Oval on January 17 and Wellington in Invercargill on January 20.
King had no complaints with the schedule and the side would return home for a couple of days during the away games.
Showers are forecast for New Plymouth tomorrow.
Otago v Central Districts
New Plymouth, tomorrow, 11am
Otago: Hamish Rutherford (captain), Brad Wilson, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Jimmy Neesham, Anaru Kitchen, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Mark Craig, Neil Wagner, Jacob Duffy, Warren Barnes.
Central Districts: George Worker, Ben Smith, Jesse Ryder, Will Young (captain), Tom Bruce, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Bevan Small, Marty Kain, Seth Rance, Andrew Mathieson, Ajaz Patel.
