Look at the past sets Volts’ sights firmly on future

Otago opener Hamish Rutherford (black jacket) discusses tactics with fast bowler Michael Rae. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

Otago coach Dion Ebrahim’s opening gambit was to concede his side had not batted, bowled or fielded well last summer.

That left plenty of work to do during the pre-season.

But the past month has been kind to what is mostly a young side.

These days, even snow in spring cannot derail the build up.

Thanks to the new winter marquee at Tonga Park, everyone has been able to get a good run on grass ahead of Tuesday’s opening Plunket Shield game against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval.

A three-day intra-squad practice game was held in Alexandra earlier this month as well.

Fast bowler Michael Rae nabbed six for 49 and two for 59 in a solid performance. All-rounder Jake Gibson staked a claim for a start with a return of three of 40 and two for 35. He also clubbed 83 from 78 balls in what was a low-scoring game.

Middle-order batter Thorn Parkes scored 95 to put pressure on the selectors.

Arguably the most pleasing batting performance came from Dean Foxcroft. He made a two-ball duck first up but added 71 in the second innings.

The South African-born player endured a two-year Covid-enforced absence from New Zealand and has played virtually no top-level cricket in that time.

Foxcroft shapes up as a key player for Otago with the bat, so that innings will have lifted the confidence in the camp.

"He is looking good. He has obviously worked hard at his game while not playing a lot of competitive cricket," Ebrahim said.

"He’s another player who is making every goal post a winner through pre-season. His work ethic is second to none and his desire to play and play well for Otago is very high."

Bowlers Travis Muller, Matt Bacon and Jarrod McKay all had good moments, as did new signing Andrew Hazeldine.

Otago lacked some penetration with the ball last season, so the sight of that quartet bowling at a high standard would have been pleasing.

Hazeldine can bowl with some genuine pace.

"We couldn’t have asked for better preparation," Ebrahim said.

However, the challenge ahead is steep. The Volts struggled in all three formats last summer.

The province has not won the Plunket Shield since the 1987-88 season. Its last one-day title came in 2007-08 and it collected the last of its two T20 crowns in 2012-13.

It has been a barren run — a point not lost on Ebrahim, who is in his second year with the team.

"The Volts have not had a high amount of success ... over the last four [decades], really. There is a fair amount of time between drinks there, so the players are well aware of their history."

A focus during the pre-season was connecting to that history, but also imagining "where this group and team want to get to and what legacy we want to create".

"The big part of that is how we actually want to go about our business.

Dean Foxcroft.

"We honestly believe we can perform well in all three campaigns and realistically look at playoffs."

Ebrahim will today name his side for the opening game.

Who, what, when, where

Otago contracted players

Matt Bacon, Max Chu, Jacob Cumming, Jacob Duffy, Josh Finnie, Dean Foxcroft, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Llew Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Jarrod McKay, Travis Muller, Dale Phillips, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Hamish Rutherford.