A couple of key moments made the difference as Otago scored its first win in over a month in any form of the game.
The Volts beat Central Districts by 23 runs at Palmerston North on Saturday, their first win in the one day competition.
The side scored 287 in its 50 overs and dismissed Central Districts in the 50th over for 264.
The win lifts Otago off the bottom of the Ford Trophy table. It is now fifth, with six points. Canterbury is the side directly above it, on 11 points, with three rounds left.
Otago coach Rob Walter said it was good to get the win but there was still plenty of things the side could do better.
"That is what you play the game for, to win, but there is still a lot of improvement in the side and the guys know that," he said.
"Certainly, we did nothing more than normal after the win as the guys understand we still have a lot to do.
"If we manage to win the next three games, then we will be one of the four in the playoffs. Once you get there you won’t have to rely on anyone else but yourself."
Otago’s total on Saturday was built on a 96-run fifth-wicket partnership between Michael Bracewell and Josh Finnie.
Finnie went for 39 but Bracewell pushed on with Anaru Kitchen before he was dismissed for 92.
Derek de Boorder hit some well-timed blows at the end but Walter felt the side might have been a few runs short.
But Otago paceman Jack Hunter got rid of two of the home team’s most dangerous players — George Worker and Jesse Ryder — within his first three overs.
From then on, the home team was always chasing the game and the run rate gradually increased.
A couple of key catches were big turning points. Bracewell grabbed Tom Bruce off the bowling of new spinner Michael Rippon while youngster Nathan Smith took a good catch to get rid of Josh Clarkson, who looked to be getting set for a big score.
Hunter ended with four wickets while Smith came back well after being carted in his first over.
The side will head to Invercargill tomorrow to prepare for a game against Auckland at Queens Park on Wednesday.
In other games played on Saturday, Northern Districts was an easy victor over Wellington by 135 runs in Whangarei, while Canterbury beat Auckland by five wickets in Rangiora.
