Take Otago top order batsman Nick Kelly for example. The 26-year-old left-hander is one of the form batsmen in the Super Smash.
With 267 runs at an average of 44.50 and a strike rate of 142.02, he is enjoying a magic run.
He is part of a high-functioning Otago top order, he has scored two half centuries and made several other telling contributions as well. He has been instrumental in the Volts’ impressive run.
Otago is well-placed to make the playoffs with three round-robin matches remaining.
A win in today’s top-of-the-table match against Wellington at the University of Otago Oval will strengthen the Volts’ grip on a playoff spot.
Kelly is confident going into the fixture, but he is also cognisant of his shortcomings as well.
"It is sort of a weird feeling. I was talking to the coach the other day about how I actually haven’t felt that in-form," Kelly said.
"But I guess it is just about finding a way to score runs and I’ve been lucky enough to have a few things go my way."
Kelly batted Otago into a position to beat Wellington the last time to two teams met. He clouted a wonderful 85 at the Basin Reserve, but holed out in the last over, and victory slipped away.
In the Volts’ only other loss he hit a half-tracker from Central Districts spinner Ajaz Patel straight to a fielder in the deep.
It was a fine knock of 45 from 24 balls. But his wicket came at a crucial time and the innings faltered thereafter.
"I’ve gone through that shot a thousand times in my head and talked to the coaches. That specific ball from a spinner is a go-to boundary option for me — a ball I probably hit for a six nine times out of 10.
"To get out that way at that time was pretty disappointing from a personal standpoint but also for the team.
"If it had gone into the stands we would have had a nice platform heading into the last five [overs] to push us up to that score of 200 which we obviously needed."
"Sometimes you play a shot and it goes for four or six. But then you think if I got out there the coach would slate me for that decision.
"But it never gets spoken about because it does go for four or six. It is the other shots [which get you out] that get examined and spoken about probably too much.
"I guess that is just the nature of the game. You have to try to park the failures as quickly as you can and move on to the next game.
"I’m pretty hard on myself. That has probably been my biggest work-on in the last five years — letting stuff go and being more accepting."
