The Aces have had the Volts' measure in recent times, winning four of the last five one-day games between the sides.
Last year they met in the corresponding match with Auckland winning by 65 runs. Tim McIntosh cast aside his tag of dour opener to whack 161 from 138 deliveries. Former international Lou Vincent chimed in with 66 from 69 in a 102-run opening stand which formed the platform for Auckland's impressive total of 340 for five.
Auckland, until the last few rounds, was the form team in the competition.
However, recent losses to Wellington and Central Districts have left Otago coach Vaughn Johnson wondering whether the defending champion is just a little bit vulnerable.
"I see Auckland as a difficult proposition, simply because they have played a lot of finals cricket and have a pretty good record," Johnson said.
"But maybe, with one or two players away, it might have left the door just a wee bit open to have a bit of a crack at them.
"They will come really strong and will have a lot of confidence because of their record against Otago. But our boys are believers and will certainly be up for it."
It is more than one or two players missing. The Auckland squad has been decimated.
Seamers Michael Bates and Kyle Mills have taken 12 wickets between them but are on duty with the Black Caps.
Spinner Roneel Hira and hard-hitting all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme will also miss the game. They are part of the Black Caps twenty/20 squad and have been called into camp early. And former international Andre Adams will miss the remainder of the campaign after agreeing to play in the Bangladesh domestic twenty/20 competition.
Adams has been a bit of a talisman for the Aces over the years and, with 10 wickets at 9.60 this summer, he will be sorely missed.
Otago will be without key all-rounder Nathan McCullum, who is part of both the one-day and twenty/20 national sides. He has scored 223 runs at an average of 55.75 and has also taken six wickets for 23.00 at the miserly economy rate of 3.83.
His ability to tie up an end would have be invaluable on a Colin Maiden Park pitch which is expected to suit slow bowlers.
Auckland looks set to exploit said surface with spinners Bruce Martin and Bhupinder Singh called into the squad.
Otago has stuck with the same group which beat Canterbury by 12 runs, although fast bowler James McMillan has a shoulder injury and has been ruled out.
There is bowling cover in the 12 with Ian Butler and Warren McSkimming already in the squad. McSkimming has not played for Otago this season with a knee injury keeping him on the sideline. But he is a vastly experienced player and Johnson said he would have no qualms starting him today if that was best for the team.
Craig Cumming and Neil Broom have had contrasting fortunes this season but both are key players in the line-up. Cumming has scored 335 runs at an average of 67.00 and has been holding a wobbly top-order together. Broom has been a reliable contributor in the past but in six innings this season he has scored 121 runs at an average of 20.16 - well below his career average for Otago of 38.93.
"I'm going to be asking the senior players to stand up and it is important that they do," Johnson said.
"We need more consistency from the top order. But, if you have a look through, everybody has got a score in some part of it. But we'll need two or three guys to get big scores. And one of our strategies is that one of the top four must get 80-100 and other guys bat around him."
Failing that, there is alway Jimmy Neesham. The all-rounder has been in devastating form with 204 runs at 68.00 and 13 wickets at 19.46. Mr Fix It took four for 23 in the dramatic win against Canterbury and picked up a five-wicket bag early in the competition. Arguably, he is an even better batsman.
