The Otago Volts will get this season’s campaign under way on Monday with a pre-season game against Canterbury in Rangiora.
The team will drive up tomorrow and is taking a squad of 14 players, all of whom coach Rob Walter hoped would get a run over the four days.
Remaining behind will be Michael Bracewell, Hamish Rutherford and Warren Barnes.
Bracewell is resting a broken finger, while Rutherford has a hip niggle which team management was being cautious with.
Barnes is continuing his rehabilitation from a foot injury.
After completing an Amazing Race-type challenge along the Otago Central Rail Trail this week, the side had regrouped in Dunedin.
"We obviously finished our team build on Wednesday and we’ve had two fairly good trainings," Walter said.
The side was looking forward to getting away, although the focus of the four-day game at Rangiora was not on the result.
"It’s always good to be outdoors and play some competitive cricket a week out from the start of the season.
"Just more time in the middle with bat and ball, that’s pretty much [the focus].
"You obviously spend the majority of your winter indoors, so whatever time you can get outdoors is great."
The team-building exercise along the Rail Trail had been successful.
"I think it went great and the response from the guys was awesome. It was a really good outing for the team just to get a little bit tighter and bond a bit more and just get a stronger idea of where we want to go as a unit."
The Volts will play their first Plunket Shield match on October 22, against Central Districts, in Nelson.
