Otago has kept its Ford Trophy playoff prospects alive with a 33-run win over Auckland in Invercargill yesterday.
The Volts posted a massive 340 for seven - their fourth-highest total - as Dutch international Michael Rippon starred with 83 and two for 48.
The visiting side chased hard but could not keep pace with the demanding required run rate and fell short, reaching a creditable 307 for seven.
The win has lifted Otago to 10 points but it remains outside of the top four in fifth place with two round-robin games remaining.
The competition is tight, though. Wellington leads with 16 points from Northern Districts, Auckland and Canterbury on 15 points. Only Central Districts looks out of the reckoning with six points.
Otago openers Gregor Croudis and Rippon got the Volts off to a solid start. The pair added 65 for the first wicket after being inserted on a batsmen-friendly surface.
Croudis was on 38 and playing nicely but shuffled inside a delivery from Tarun Nethula and had his leg stump disturbed.
Sean Eathorne replaced him at the wicket and made a good impression in his first one-day game for Otago in six years, scoring 41 from 49 deliveries.
The 30-year-old got a couple of gentle free tosses from Mark Chapman which he heaved over the rope. But mostly he rotated the strike in a valuable partnership of 83 runs with Rippon, who has been a revelation since joining the side late last month.
The makeshift opener was brought into the side predominantly for his left-arm legspin but has proven to be a more than capable replacement for the injured Hamish Rutherford at the top of the batting order.
He uses his wrists to generate power or steer the ball into gaps. He is just a touch awkward to watch - a bit like a right-handed Daniel Vettori, perhaps.
But his style proved effective. He posted a career-high score and happily swung the ball through midwicket or slashed it behind square during a 90-ball stay.
Brad Wilson hit four sixes during a 36-run cameo but it was Josh Finnie who provided the adrenaline towards the end of the innings. He laced five fours and five sixes in a whirlwind undefeated knock of 73 from 46 deliveries which featured some wonderful timing and clever innovation.
It also meant Auckland needed 6.82 over to overhaul the target. The formidable task seemed much more manageable after the visiting side carved off 71 runs without loss from the opening 10 overs.
Openers Jeet Raval and Glenn Phillips did not pay much respect to Black Caps test bowler Neil Wagner. His return to provincial cricket proved costly initially.
Christi Viljoen helped stem the flow of runs then Rippon secured a double breakthrough. Phillips swatted a half-tracker to midwicket to close his innings for 41 and then Raval was trapped lbw for 63.
Wagner landed the mortal blow, though, getting rid of the dangerous Sean Solia. The left-hander has emerged as a player of real quality this season and was in threatening form, reaching 64 before chopping on much to the relief of Otago.
Solia started the match with an average of 102.66 and a strike rate of 115.78. His departure removed a significant threat.
The required run rate soared and contributed to the demise of Chapman and Robbie O'Donnell.
Experienced batsman Rob Nicol refused to surrender. He helped plunder 17 from an Anaru Kitchen over and the per over demand dipped ever so slightly.
But Auckland still needed 74 from the last six overs and it proved too many.
The only negative for Otago was a finger injury sustained by Wagner. How serious it is will be known today.
The match between Wellington and Central Districts at the Basin Reserve was abandoned after 30 overs with Central 150 for two, while at Hagley Oval Canterbury held on to beat Northern Districts by two runs.
Logan van Beek took two wickets during a dramatic final over after team-mate Henry Nicholls had scored 140 to help set up the victory.
Tim Seifert scored 104 in a losing effort.
