And so it was at the University Oval yesterday.
Otago opted to make a sporting declaration at 345 for nine. That set Northern Districts a target of 250 from 59 overs.
The visitors suffered some late hiccups but otherwise cantered to victory. Tim Seifert clouted an undefeated 73 from 85 balls and shared in a 120-run stand with Bharat Popli.
They did not nibble at the bait, they tore big chunks from it.
By the time Popli was undone on 78, the win was within sight.
Volts coach Dion Ebrahim was disappointed with the result but had no regrets about the way his side had approached the game.
"We had to make a sporty declaration and put ourselves at risk of losing to keep up with the pack," he said.
"The competition leaders are sitting there on two wins and we are only one win away.
"I’m really happy with the way we played and with the performances ... and there are a lot of positives to take into the [one-day campaign which gets under way next week].
Otago resumed on 230 for six with ambitions of an outright win. Fog robbed the game of 10 overs in the morning, which compressed the game further.
Travis Muller could only add seven to his overnight total of four before he hit a catch to a close-in fielder.
But Michael Rippon and Jake Gibson counterattacked and put on 89 from 91 balls for the eighth wicket.
Rippon (75) eventually holed out. He took a stance half a metre outside leg and tried to hoick a delivery from Neil Wagner to cow. But he got boxed in and the top edged ballooned back to the bowler.
Jacob Duffy went for a jolly big swipe the next ball and found a fielder as well.
Gibson was unbeaten on 53 from 39 balls. He made 60 not out in the first innings, so he had a good match with the bat.
Wagner got some cheap wickets late, but bowled well for his four for 69 from 25 overs.
Otago declared following Duffy’s departure, leaving Northern Districts needing to score at 4.23 an over.
It might have been a touch generous, but Northern was down to 10 players, with Scott Kuggeleijn having gone home for personal reasons. Joe Carter was injured as well.
But it mattered not a jot. Popli and Seifert scored at a quick clip and victory drifted away.
Rippon had some fine moments. He picked up the wicket of Henry Cooper to bring up 100 first-class wickets for Otago, and then removed Popli and Brett Hampton with consecutive balls.
He also snookered Kristian Clarke as Northern got a bit nervy at the end.
Wellington held on to beat Central Districts by 68 runs in Palmerston North. Central was chasing 317 for the win but was bundled out for 248.
Auckland collapsed to 129 for six in its second innings against Canterbury at Hagley Oval, but George Worker helped the Aces wriggle out of trouble with an undefeated 100.
The match was drawn but Canterbury remain at the top of the competition standings with 52 points. Central is in second with 46 points. Wellington (45 points) improved its position, while Northern Districts (33 points), Auckland (32 points) and Otago (31 points) occupy the bottom three rungs.
OTAGO
First innings 181
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
First innings 277
OTAGO
Second innings
H Rutherford c Hampton b Wagner 16
J Cumming c Kuggeleijn b Pringle 26
D Phillips c & b Cooper 6
D Foxcroft lbw b Pringle 53
T Parkes c Hampton b Cooper 3
M Chu c Seifert b Wagner 78
M Rippon c & b Wagner 75
T Muller c Popli b Pringle 11
J Gibson not out 53
J Duffy c Clarke b Wagner 0
J Mckay not out 2
Extras (10b, 8lb, 2w, 2nb) 22
Total (for 9 wkts dec, 114 overs) 345
Fall: 1-39, 2-50, 3-62, 4-68, 5-180, 6-211, 7-246, 8-335, 9-335.
Bowling: N Wagner 25-4-69-4 (1nb), S Kuggeleijn 8-2-28-0 (1w), B Hampton 6-0-25-0 (1w, 1nb), T Pringle 35-10-96-3, H Cooper 17-3-38-2, F Walker 15-3-44-0, J Raval 3-0-14-0, K Clarke 5-1-13-0.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
Second innings
H Cooper c Cumming b Rippon 22
J Raval c Chu b Muller 49
B Popli lbw b Rippon 78
T Seifert not out 73
B Hampton c Parkes b Rippon 0
K Clarke b Rippon 17
N Wagner not out 12
Extras (1b, 2lb) 3
Total (for 5 wickets, 48.3 overs) 254
Fall: 1-55, 2-95, 3-215, 4-215, 5-235.
Bowling: J Duffy 12-2-41-0, J Mckay 5-0-17-0, T Muller 8-0-54-1, M Rippon 14-0-82-4, D Foxcroft 4-1-28-0, J Gibson 5.3-1-29-0.
Result: Northern Districts won by five wickets.
