Those last-over defeats are not getting any easier.
Otago did well to hold on as long as they did against Auckland yesterday.
By their own admission, they were at least 30 runs shy of a more competitive total at the University Oval.
Dale Phillips clubbed 78 and Dean Foxcroft posted his third list-A century to help Otago post 268.
Auckland lost two wickets in the last over to make it exciting.
But Danru Ferns pulled the penultimate ball of the match through midwicket to clinch a three-wicket win.
It capped off a good day for the seamer. He nabbed four for 45.
Otago coach Ashley Noffke was disappointed to be on the end of another close loss — his side was defeated by Canterbury in a last-ball thriller last week.
"We’re playing some really, really good cricket. And the game’s sitting there for us to take," he said.
"We’re just not quite finishing off the simple things, really."
"But we’re getting better every time we sort of come on to the field. There’s so many great individual performances.
"Foxy’s [Foxcroft] a prime example of that. But Dale’s innings was as good as anyone in the country today."
Certainly was. The 26-year-old right-hander has had a productive campaign and was quickly on to the front foot.
He is strong forward of the wicket and sent a large portion of his 13 fours in that direction.
He pulled out the scoop shot and swivelled into a couple of pull shots as well.
But the fielder at cover certainly had to be vigilant.
Foxcroft took charge of guiding Otago through to a decent tally following Phillips’ departure.
A score of 300-plus looked on. But the Volts slumped from 189 for four to 207 for eight. It put a big dent in what was possible.
Foxcroft kept his wicket intact and powered through to 100.
No 11 Mason Clarke defended stoutly to help him through to the milestone.
Ferns got the wickets of Llew Johnson and Jamal Todd in his opening spell and also removed Foxcroft and Matt Bacon.
Spinners Louis Delport (one for 35) and Nikith Perera (two for 37) put in solid shifts.
Sean Solia flayed back-to-back boundaries in the opening over of the chase to turbo-charge his innings.
He took a liking to Clarke’s bowling and the long handle to Jake Gibson’s deliveries.
The left-hander raced through to 50 off 57 balls before drilling a drive to Phillips at short cover.
Phillips popped up at the bowling crease moments later and created another wicket.
He fired it past the outside edge of Mike Sclanders bat and Max Chu whipped off the bails.
A tiny crack had emerged in the chase. Otago’s job was to pry it open to see who else might fall in.
Jock McKenzie was at the top of the most-wanted list and, on 51, he sliced a delivery from Ben Lockrose straight to Johnson.
The Aces had lost three quick wickets, but Cameron Fletcher (55) and the imposing Bevon Jacobs plugged the hole with a 102-run stand.
Jacobs struggled with some short-pitched bowling from Hazeldine at first. But nothing cures doubt faster than sending the ball into the grandstand.
He whacked another five in pretty quick succession. One of those was eased over extra cover and it looked effortless.
He holed out on 63 from 45 balls — his highest list-A score.
The Aces ran the chase a little close. Fletcher and Delport got themselves out in the final over.
In the other two games, Central Districts beat Northern Districts by six wickets in Whangarei and Canterbury posted a 79-run win against Wellington in Christchurch.
Otago
D Phillips c Ferns b Olliver 78
J Todd c Jacobs b Ferns 13
L Johnson c Delport b Ferns 5
D Foxcroft c Johal b Ferns 100
L Carter c Sclanders b Johal 12
M Chu b Stackpole 25
J Gibson c Ferns b Perera 5
B Lockrose c Fletcher b Delport 1
A Hazeldine c Ferns b Perera 0
M Bacon c Fletcher b Ferns 20
Extras (3lb, 6w) 9
Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 268
Fall: 1-31, 2-60, 3-122, 4-141, 5-189, 6-203, 7-206, 8-207, 9-239, 10-268.
Bowling: A Olliver 6-0-35-1 (2w), D Ferns 8.2-1-45-4 (3w), J McKenzie 6-0-47-0, H Johal 6-0-46-1, L Delport 10-1-35-1, N Perera 9-0-37-2 (1w), L Stackpole 4-1-20-1.
Auckland
S Solia c Phillips b Lockrose 55
L Stackpole c Todd b Hazeldine 12
J McKenzie c Johnson b Lockrose 51
M Sclanders st Chu b Phillips 2
C Fletcher c Phillips b J Gibson 55
B Jacobs c Carter b Foxcroft 63
H Johal not out 12
L Delport c Johnson b JM Gibson 4
D Ferns not out 4
Extras (1b, 2lb, 10w) 13
Total (for 7 wkts, 49.5 overs) 271
Fall: 1-46, 2-111, 3-114, 4-130, 5-232, 6-262, 7-267.
Bowling: M Clarke 3-0-24-0, A Hazeldine 9-1-49-1 (6w), M Bacon 8-0-40-0 (2w), D Foxcroft 10-0-46-1, J Gibson 6.5-0-48-2 (2w), B Lockrose 10-0-53-2, D Phillips 3-0-8-1.
Result: Auckland won by 3 wickets.
