There was not much Otago could do about Will Young or Tom Bruce.
The pair put in classy effort to secure a seven-wicket win for Central Districts at Molyneux Park on New Year’s Eve.
But the Volts could have batted better early.
They found themselves three down in the powerplay and were left trying to play catch-up against a quality lineup.
Llew Johnson dragged the home team through to 154 for eight with a punishing knock of 53. That gave the crowd of 933 some hope.
But Young compiled a more or less flawless 50 and Bruce clouted an undefeated 44 from 19 balls.
Curtis Heaphy made an important contribution with 43 from 42, and Blair Tickner snapped up three wickets.
Otago assistant coach Ben McCord said the Stags bowled really well at the top of the innings and put the Volts under pressure.
"You’ve got to give them a lot of credit. [Brett] Randell hit an immaculate length and just made it tough for us," McCord said.
"And Tickner was much more of the same as well.
"The powerplay was a big moment for us ... but we actually got somewhere pretty close to a score. We defended 160 the other day.
"We’ll think back to the powerplay and think what could have been. But Llew has so much talent and it was a great effort."
The Stags dominated the opening stages. Tickner was fired up.
He removed Max Chu, who timed the ball nicely but hit it straight to Angus Schaw.
Then he ripped one passed the advancing Dale Phillips and bowled him.
Opener Jamal Todd had holed out earlier.
The powerplay had netted just 24 runs and cost the home side three wickets.
Dean Foxcroft did his bit to lift the run rate. He swept the ball for six and took out a pain of glass in the pavilion.
He almost took out a couple of scorers and this reporter as well.
Foxcroft teamed up with Leo Carter to put on 44 for the fourth wicket.
But their departures for 25 apiece left the innings teetering.
The mercurial Johnson had to shoulder the responsibility of getting the Volts through to some sort of decent total.
The 24-year-old has delivered less than his ability promises during his nearly 40 T20 fixtures for the Volts.
But he flogged a delivery from Tickner high up on the embankment with an exquisite piece of timing.
He cleared the rope at point as well, having got a full toss from Joey Field.
Ben Lockrose helped himself to four as well to help carve 19 runs off the 16th over.
He employed the slog sweep to add another six to the total.
Lockrose’s valuable cameo came to an end on 15. But Johnson kept the pressure on, clubbing Tickner for back-to-back sixes from the penultimate over which cost 22 runs. The right-hander brought up his second half century in format in the last over from just 27 balls.
He was bowled last ball but gave the Volts a half chance.
They needed a good start with the ball but Andrew Hazeldine was wayward, bowling four wides.
Seventeen-year-old Mason Clarke extracted a heavy leading edge from Jack Boyle which Phillips rounded on and pouched comfortably.
But Young snatched the game away with a consummate knock and Bruce finished off with some impressive power hitting.
The Volts’ next assignment is against Canterbury at Hagley Oval on January 7.
OTAGO
D Phillips b Tickner 4 (5)
J Todd c Clark b Schaw 5 (3)
M Chu c Schaw b Tickner 4 (8)
L Carter c Randell b Field 25 (27)
D Foxcroft c Randell b Lennox 25 (30)
L Johnson b Clark 53 (29)
R Clinton b Tickner 5 (5)
B Lockrose b Randell 15 (6)
A Hazeldine not out 7 (8)
Extras (3lb, 7w, 1nb) 11
Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 154
Fall: 1-7, 2-11, 3-14, 4-58, 5-68, 6-86, 7-119, 8-154.
Bowling: A Schaw 2-0-17-1, B Randell 4-0-11-1, B Tickner 4-0-37-3 (1w), J Field 4-0-32-1 (1w, 1nb), J Lennox 4-0-33-1, W Clark 2-0-21-1 (1w).
CENTRAL DISTRICTS
W Young c Phillips b Lockrose 50 (37)
J Boyle c Phillips b Clarke 2 (6)
C Heaphy c Phillips b Foxcroft 43 (42)
T Bruce not out 44 (19)
W Clark not out 10 (9)
Extras (3lb, 6w) 9
Total (for 3 wkts, 18.5 overs) 158
Fall: 1-14, 2-96, 3-110.
Bowling: A Hazeldine 4-0-36-0 (4w), M Clarke 3-0-14-1, B Lockrose 4-0-33-1, M Bacon 3.5-0-28-0, D Foxcroft 2-0-24-1, R Clinton 1-0-13-0, D Phillips 1-0-7-0.
Result: Central Districts won by seven wickets.
