Veteran all-rounder Andrew Ellis grabbed four more wickets than he needed to create history yesterday, and helped Canterbury to a six-wicket win in the process.
The 35-year-old took five for 16 to help restrict Otago to 144 for nine in a twenty20 match at Molyneux Park.
Ellis had taken 99 wickets in the New Zealand domestic twenty20 competition and needed one more to become the first player to reach 100 wickets.
He bowled Jimmy Neesham to claim the milestone in front of a good-sized crowd of 1107. Mark Craig's wicket was a pleasant bonus and he took three wickets in the final over to keep the Volts under 150.
It was his third twenty20 five-wicket bag and another superb performance from an under-rated player.
Canterbury opener Nick Kwant bludgeoned 48 from 35 deliveries and Cole McConchie and Cameron Fletcher both made 31 not out to guide their side to a third win.
The victory has lifted the visitors into first place in the competition standings.
Otago remains anchored at the bottom of the points table and will need to turn its fortunes around rapidly to stay in contention.
Coach Rob Walter has hinted at changes.
''We are certainly entering into that space,'' he said.
''We don't have anything to lose [from here] so we could potentially see a few other guys in the squad so we can see what they have to offer.''
The Volts made a tentative start on what was a slow surface. Skipper Rob Nicol faced five dot balls before scrambling through for a very tight single at the end of the first over.
Nicol survived the run-out appeal but fellow opener Hamish Rutherford was out shortly after. He scooped a delivery to short fine leg and was caught for one.
Midway through the innings Otago was labouring at 60 for three.
Shawn Hicks injected some momentum with a cameo of 19 and Nicol started finding the middle of the bat.
He swept a delivery from Tim Johnston over midwicket for a massive six. It smashed through a window of the pavilion and collected a member of the media - me - on the left shoulder (I had to rub it).
Nicol brought up 50 shortly after - who knows how, I was still brushing glass off my keyboard which is now missing the letter p.
Derek de Boorder clubbed 15 runs from seven deliveries as Otago closed in on 150. Nicol finished unbeaten on 65.
The Volts did not have much of a score to defend and it did not help when they conceded four overthrows in the first over.
But fast bowler Warren Barnes was doing his best to put off the visitors. He was bowling in a face mask for protection and was getting the ball through at a very brisk pace.
Barnes grabbed two wickets during the powerplay but Otago was not able to keep the pressure on and victory slipped away.
The match between Wellington and Auckland at the Basin Reserve was abandoned without a ball bowled due to poor weather.
