The good news is the Otago Volts finally get to play at home this week.
The other good news is they have a bunch of batters with some handy runs already under their belts.
Less fun is having to swallow a second straight loss after their wonderful victory in the season opener.
The Volts batted well but did not have enough answers with the ball as they fell to a four-wicket loss to Auckland in Mt Maunganui — where the Aces are setting up shop for the early rounds of the Ford Trophy because New Zealand’s biggest city is comically ill-equipped to host cricket — on Saturday.
After Otago posted a handy 283 for nine off their 50 overs, Auckland eased to 285 for six with five balls to spare.
The architect of the chase, which meant the Ross Dykes Memorial Trophy headed north, was an unexpected almost-newcomer.
Pocket dynamo Mike Sclanders — yet another in the seemingly endless line of South African immigrants to enter domestic cricket here — was playing just his fourth game for Auckland.
His previous best for the Aces had been 40 but the compact right-hander left that in the dust as he cracked his first List A century, a match-winning knock of 107 off 112 balls.
Sclanders whacked nine fours and three sublime straight sixes as he showed a special fondness for Otago spinners Ben Lockrose and Dean Foxcroft.
Otago did not help themselves by conceding 24 extras, including 18 wides.
The Volts had removed dangerous opener Finn Allen for 3, and while both Sean Solia and Will O’Donnell chipped in with 30, Sclanders needed an ally at the other end.
He found it in rugby convert Jock McKenzie, who scored his maiden half-century, 66 off 81 balls, the pair adding 179 runs for the fourth wicket.
Travis Muller was the most successful of the Otago bowlers with three for 63 off 10 overs.
Earlier, having been asked to bat, the Volts had slumped to 56 for three.
Thorn Parkes hit four boundaries in his breezy 17, but Llew Johnson edged behind for a golden duck and Foxcroft went for 6.
Dale Phillips and Leo Carter did a handy job with the recovery.
Phillips cracked 72 (nine fours and a six in 92 balls) and Carter contributed 62 off 74 balls as the pair added 108 for the fourth wicket.
Volts captain Luke Georgeson then lofted three sixes in his 40 off 34 balls, and Max Chu (28), Andrew Hazeldine (17) and Muller (15 not out off eight balls) added some handy runs.
Just not enough, as it turned out.
Otago are at home to the Central Stags at the University Oval on Wednesday.
Central had reached 92 for two off 22.4 overs on Saturday when their game against Wellington at the Basin Reserve was rained off.
The third game, between Canterbury and Northern Districts in Christchurch, was abandoned before the toss.
