The Otago Volts gave Aaron Redmond the ideal send off for his last home game by wrapping up a four wicket win over Canterbury at the University Oval on Saturday.
Redmond is set to retire at the end of this season, and his team mates gave him a guard of honour as he went out to bat for the last time on his home ground on Saturday morning.
Redmond scored 27 and shared in a 49 run opening stand with Hamish Rutherford as Otago ran down Canterbury's target of 142 shortly after the lunch break.
Otago coach Dimitri Mascarenhas said the guard of honour was a suitable way to mark Redmond's last innings at University Oval.
''When he went out to bat, the boys thought it would be a good idea to send him off in the right way,'' Mascarenhas said.
The rollicking chase towards the target was made easier after Jacob Duffy collected yet another five wicket bag when he wrapped up the tail with Canterbury on 144.
On Friday, Otago took five wickets for 80 runs during a cracking afternoon session to get into a strong position as the the visiting side slumped from 56 for three at lunch to 136 for eight by tea.
Bad light brought a premature end to day three before Canterbury was were bundled out with no addition to the overnight score of 144 the next morning.
Duffy (five for 58) and all rounder Roald Badenhorst (three for 28) teamed up to take eight wickets between them.
''We know what can happen with the tail these days _ everyone can bat _ so we just have to keep doing our thing, getting our processes right and hopefully it happens,'' Mascarenhas said.
''It didn't happen the night before, but it happened the first thing the next day which was really pleasing.''
Mascarenhas said Otago trainer Adam Keen and Duffy himself had major parts to play in the paceman's outstanding form in the latter half of the season.
''He's been gaining more experience and also working very hard on his fitness in the gym with Adam Keen so he has to take a lot of credit for the way Jake's gone.
''And Jake himself _ putting in the hard work and reaping the rewards. He's never shying away from bowling _ he's bowled the most overs for us this year and that's got to be a record, because it's usually Wags [Neil Wagner].''
Otago had resumed its first innings on 224 for seven, trailing Canterbury by 23 runs.
Smith added two to his overnight score before he got an edge. Derek de Boorder (55 not out) had been watchful the day before but batted with purpose, adding 21 runs to post his 18th first class half century.
The declaration came shortly after, at 250 for eight, with a first innings lead of just three runs.
Otago meets Auckland, which beat Central by an innings on Friday, in the final round of the Plunket Shield starting on Wednesday.
