The competition itself has been a nightmare, the side managing just one win from nine games.
However, coach Rob Walter did not have to look far to find reasons to play for against Auckland at the Eden Park Outer Oval tomorrow.
"It’s another opportunity to represent Otago," he said.
"That’s the first thing; you never want to take those opportunities for granted.
"We keep reminding ourselves that there’s lots of other young lads who would love that opportunity, so we want to keep respecting that.
"Then another opportunity to compete in this competition, push for a win which has been hard to come by.
"Then, finally, use these opportunities to get ourselves ready and battle-hardened for the Ford Trophy campaign."
The one-day campaign is where Otago’s best hope of any silverware lies this season.
It has picked up two wins from three games, on the back of some impressive displays.
"No doubt at all," Walter said when asked if that was where the focus now was.
"We started talking about it the moment we were unable to qualify.
"Every day gives us an opportunity to push for that Ford Trophy because that’s the one we’re well and truly in the hunt for."
The side put in some strong performances with both bat and ball in the one-day competition.
It had been unable to do that in the twenty20 competition, however, and Walter felt it had been unable to snatch opportunities when they arrived.
He said form was difficult to find in twenty20 cricket, which had worked against the side.
"Some of our guys struggled for form with bat and ball.
"T20 cricket’s a brutal game that doesn’t really allow you to find form in the fixture itself because there’s too much happening, too much pressure on run rates, batters putting bowlers under pressure ... When you’re in that spiral, when you’re struggling, it’s tough to get out."
Otago has been training at Tonga Park, as the University Oval is used in preparation for today’s one-day international.
Tomorrow’s game will be broadcast live on television and while that possibly provides an edge, Walter felt it was irrelevant to what the team was trying to do.
T20 Super Smash
Eden Park Outer Oval, tomorrow, 4pm
Otago: (possible) Rob Nicol (captain), Hamish Rutherford, Shawn Hicks, Llew Johnson, Anaru Kitchen, Derek de Boorder, Josh Finnie, Christi Viljoen, Michael Rippon, Michael Rae, Matt Bacon, Neil Wagner.
Auckland: (possible) Sean Solia, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Craig Cachopa, Robbie O’Donnell, Sam Curran, Michael Barry, Donovan Grobbelaar, Ronnie Hira, Tarun Nethula, Ben Lister, Teja Nidamanuru.
