Just how has Otago been able to turn around what was shaping as a pretty miserable one-day campaign and give itself an opportunity to make the final?
It is a question Volts coach Nathan King has been asked a lot lately.
The short answer is he does not know.
The long answer has a few more layers but basically amounts to the same thing.
Still, if Otago does beat Canterbury in Christchurch today it will secure a spot in the final against Central Districts at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth and that will complete a journey from the very bottom of the standings.
"I've been asked this question by a few people and if you could pinpoint it, then we'd all be doing it, wouldn't we?'' King said when asked about the side's dramatic transformation.
"I think it is a combination of things. One thing I said to our guys, after the first few games that we obviously lost, was we just have to keep that belief and keep going out there and putting in a performance that we can sit down at the end of the day and be happy with.
"Sometimes it is hard to keep that belief after a string of poor performances. But if you do, hopefully you can come out the other side.''
Otago has certainly achieved that.
The Volts demolished Auckland in a sudden death playoff match in Invercargill on Saturday, winning by 125 runs via DLS.
Three days earlier they handed out a monstrous 221-run loss to Wellington at the same venue.
The team is finally playing the type of cricket you would expect from a side containing six past or present internationals.
Neil Broom has scored three centuries during the campaign and is probably in the form of his life.
Hamish Rutherford scored a big century in the win against Wellington and Michael Bracewell has also rediscovered his touch with some fine innings of his own.
Jacob Duffy has taken six wickets in the last two games and his new-ball combination with Black Cap Neil Wagner will pose Canterbury a few headaches.
With Nathan McCullum back in the side and Black Caps all-rounder Jimmy Neesham back bowling, albeit on a limited load, the Volts have a wonderful mix of players.
Blessed with that kind of personnel, the answer to the opening question seems fairly clear - the Volts are an excellent side but underachieved early on.
Canterbury has beaten Otago twice during the campaign and has some very good players as well.
Peter Fulton springs to mind immediately.
He is a vastly experienced player and so too is the captain and all-rounder Andrew Ellis.
But Canterbury's strength lies with its bowling.
Bustling left-armer Ed Nuttall is the competition's leading wicket-taker with 18 at an average of 16.22.
He will spearhead the attack which also features rookie Kyle Jamieson.
The right-armer has taken eight wickets at 20.87.
Leg-spinner Todd Astle was punished during the playoff match against Central Districts on Saturday - he is not the only player to find out how hard it can be to bowl at Jesse Ryder - but has otherwise been bowling well.
Otago's progress is partly down to the players the team can call on but King, who is in his rookie season, can take credit for shuffling around the top order.
It seemed a curious move for Rutherford to bat at No 4 when he was an established opener, and equally odd for Bracewell to move from No 3 back to the top when he had played so well at first drop. But the players have bought into it and you cannot argue with the results.
It is something King can hang his hat on and he also guided Otago into the finals of the twenty20 competition last month.
Regardless of whether Otago makes Saturday's final, he has had a successful limited-overs campaign.
"I guess success is what drives you in this game. We've played some good cricket this season but no-one is going to remember who finished second in the Georgie Pie Super Smash in a couple of years. But we have an opportunity to win two more games and win a Ford Trophy and they are the things that people remember.''
A small footnote: Rain is forecast for Christchurch today. There is no reserve day, so Canterbury will progress if poor weather prevents a match taking place.
