Otago made no race of its opening one-day game in Timaru yesterday, beating Canterbury by five wickets.
Chasing a large target of 304, the Volts won by five wickets thanks to a century from Jesse Ryder and a well-timed 50 from Nathan McCullum.
The duo came together with more than 110 needed, at more than a run a ball, but in the end did it with just under three overs left.
Ryder finished on an unbeaten 108, hitting a six to clinch the win.
McCullum made an even 50, hitting at more than a run a ball and finding the boundary on a regular occasion.
The Black Caps all-rounder showed his class in helping Ryder find a way through a position which could have got away from the Volts side.
Big scores are a feature of games at Aorangi Oval and yesterday was no exception.
Canterbury had scored 303 for nine wickets from its 50 overs after it had been sent in by the visitors with Dean Brownlie and skipper Peter Fulton scoring half centuries.
Tom Latham and George Worker had got Canterbury off to a good start and although the side ended up with over 300, on the Oval ground it was not a safe total.
Especially when the likes of Hamish Rutherford and Michael Bracewell kept Otago well up with the required run rate.
Rutherford hit 67, hitting 48 in boundaries, while Bracewell went through to 43 as the duo shared a 111-run partnership.
Ryder sprayed the ball all round the park and scored 62 runs in boundaries.
Earlier Jimmy Neesham had taken four wickets in the Canterbury innings but it was the spin bowlers - McCullum and Nick Beard - who pegged back Canterbury.
Otago would take on Northern Districts in Hamilton on Wednesday in its next match.
