The Volts posted a competitive total of 184 for seven at McLean Park last night.
And when the required run rate blew out past 12 an over, it appeared the Volts were on course for victory.
But Kieran Noema-Barnett had a different trajectory in mind — one which would carry the ball into the night sky and over the rope.
He pummelled 55 from 30 balls to get his side back in the hunt, while Josh Clarkson unleashed his power and thumped two giant sixes to seal a five-wicket win with an over to spare.
It is just the Volts’ second loss and they remain at the top of the standings, while the Stags have climbed into third place.
While Otago did not finish well, it started the game nicely.
Opener Hamish Rutherford did what he has done all season and came out and blasted 41 off 19 balls. He has been timing the ball with the majestic precision we are used to seeing from the likes of Martin Guptill or Jimmy Neesham.
He can hit the ball over the rope in most areas. Drop short and it is the backward square boundary. Pitch up and you are going over extra cover or over your head.
It is quite something to watch, and he got the Volts off to a brisk beginning before gloving a Blair Tickner delivery.
Fellow opener Neil Broom (15) never really got going and Anaru Kitchen and Nick Kelly took an over or two to get going themselves.
Rutherford’s knock bought them that time. But once settled the pair did not let an opportunity to bludgeon a boundary slip by. They put on 66 from 40 balls before Kitchen toe-ended a shot on 26.
Kelly, who has been a revelation since transferring south from Northern Districts this season, looked on track to post his third half century of the tournament. But he mistimed a half-tracker from Ajaz Patel for a very well-played 45 from 24.
The Stags had two new batsmen at the crease to bowl at with six overs remaining. It was an opportunity to wrestle back some control, and they grabbed it.
They could so easily have been chasing 200-ish.
Otago seamer Travis Muller found himself under early pressure. He had been clouted for a couple of sixes but caught the top edge of Dane Cleaver’s bat to secure the initial breakthrough for the visitors.
Jacob Duffy got the danger-man George Worker relatively cheaply for 16.
Broom came up with the next piece of wonderful out-cricket. The 36-year-old sprinted forward and dived to scoop up the ball millimetres above the grass tops to remove Christian Leopard for 19.
The Stags should have been four down moments later. But Rutherford fumbled a return throw with Noema-Barnett three or four metres away from making his ground. That missed opportunity proved very costly.
Central Districts were 80 for three at the halfway point of their innings and could not afford to slip further behind.
That pressure started to build, and skipper Tom Bruce cracked.
He charged Rae but sliced it over cover and into the hands of Josh Finnie.
The required run rate climbed to 12 with seven overs remaining.
That is pretty tough, but not for Noema-Barnett. He can club the ball a long way, and did.
He unleashed on Michael Rippon, swatting the left-arm wrist spinner for a four and consecutive sixes.
Rippon bowled him with the wrong’un late in the over, but the damage was done.
The required run rate had dropped to 10 an over with four overs remaining, and that is too easy these days.
