The Sparks play Auckland in three back-to-back matches beginning with a twenty20 match at Lincoln today and will have to do without some star power
White Ferns captain Suzie Bates will suit up for the T20 before returning to Australia to play for the Perth Scorchers in the Women's Big Bash League, while left-arm spinner Morna Nielsen will miss the T20 match but will be available for both one-dayers.
Ordinarily, playing Auckland would be hard enough. But playing the one-day defending champion with key players missing adds another level of difficulty.
Bates was named the ICC one-day and T20 player of the year. Take a player of her calibre out of any line-up and the team would struggle. But for Otago, the smallest of the six major associations, it is more than just the lost of world-class player.
Bates has been the heart and soul of the team for more than decade. She helped carry the team to a one-day title in 2014 with 99 in the final.
The replacements players coach Warren Lees has brought in are in the promising rather than proven category.
Ella Brown has played five T20 games and six one-dayers for the province. She is a right-arm medium pace all-rounder and one of the better fielders in the group.
Kate Heffernan will be making her debut. She is a tall left-arm medium fast bowler and very handy with the willow.
She starred alongside twin sister Georgia Heffernan for St Hilda's Collegiate at the national secondary school girls' finals.
The siblings help steer the school through the tournament unbeaten to claim the title.
Kate was the second-highest scorer with 155 runs at an average of 38.75. She was also the second leading wicket-taker with eight wickets at an average of just 6. The challenge for Otago cricket is keeping her away from the netball court where she has also shown potential.
Experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Katey Martin will captain the side in Bates' absence.
The Sparks (two points) are in fourth place in the twenty20 competition and a loss would probably end their hopes of reaching the final on February 12. Otago's one-day campaign also feels like it is at a crossroad. The team has one win from three completed matches and is in fourth place on seven points.
Auckland leads the T20 standings and is in second place in the one-day competition with three wins from four games.
It will start all three games as a warm favourite. But then December has been kind to teams from Otago with the men's under-19 team winning the national tournament and St Hilda's Collegiate also nabbing a national title.
