Until Central Districts part-time wrist spinner Brad Schmulian bowled Otago hope Dale Phillips for 85, it was impossible to divine exactly which way the result might flop.
Glory was most certainly in the wind. So, too, was a heartbreaking defeat. And bad light threatened even more drama.
What a final day the few hardy souls present were treated to at the University Oval.
Following a long rain delay, Central Districts batted on just long enough for Tom Bruce to post his 10th first-class century. He was poised on 99 overnight.
The Stags declared on 332 for nine. They had set the Volts a target of 305, which bobbed in and out of sight all day long.
Central Districts eventually recorded a 50-run win. But what a killjoy that single line is in relation to the action which unfolded.
"We gave that run chase a really good effort," Otago coach Dion Ebrahim said.
"Dale Phillips’ innings was outstanding but, unfortunately, he was left a little bit stranded there at the end.
"But it was probably an innings where we might have panicked a little at the end there.
"That is something we’ll have to take the lessons from."
Otago attacked the new ball but had to temper their approach following the loss of both openers.
Luke Georgeson was bowled by the veteran Doug Bracewell for 16.
The ball kept low but he would have wanted to do a lot better.
Jacob Cumming was lured into a cut shot by Ajaz Patel and feathered an edge to the keeper.
And moments later captain Dean Foxcroft made a costly miscalculation and chopped on for a duck.
Otago rallied through Thorn Parkes and Phillips.
Parkes pulled out the reverse sweep and swatted a four off Patel. He also lofted the left arm spinner down the ground for six.
Phillips clonked a couple of on-drives to create some energy inside the Volts’ dressing room.
Otago were 112 for three at the break and would have wanted to keep the momentum going.
But Parkes was out trying to hook, unable to improve on his total at tea of 40.
Rookie Jamal Todd swaggered out to the wicket and played perhaps too much cricket during his 22-run cameo.
The exquisite on-drive off Ray Toole was a shot of rare class. He can certainly play.
The chip down the ground into the hands of Bracewell was a lot less rare, though. You can see that shot every Saturday at club cricket.
The Volts were going for it, so the excuse was concrete.
Next man in Max Chu took a dozen balls to get set before teeing off.
The Volts needed 112 off 15 overs at nearly 7.5 an over. Easy as in a T20, but there are fewer fielding restrictions in first-class cricket.
Chu swung a delivery from Josh Clarkson away for six to reduce the target and the run rate further.
Then he squeezed a four past point to create more angst among the visitors’ attack.
Phillips played with more discretion, but climbed into attacking shots when the deliveries demanded it.
He clubbed Toole for six over midwicket, but his main role was to get Chu back on strike and stand back and watch.
The talented keeper duffed his next big shot and fell one short of a half-century.
Jack Boyle took a wonderful diving catch.
Jake Gibson came in and struck back-to-back boundaries.
Bad light was now an issue, though. Central Districts elected to plough on with slow bowlers after it was deemed too dangerous for the quicks to continue operating.
That courage was rewarded with Patel snaffling two quick wickets and Schmulian bowling Jacob Duffy. The tail had collapsed.
That left Phillips and No 11 Jarrod McKay to see the Volts to glory which, if a little unlikely now, was still on.
But Phillips tried to lap a delivery from Schmulian, missed, and was bowled.
In the other games, Canterbury dispatched Auckland by eight wickets.
Henry Nicholls set up the win with 120.
At the Basin Reserve, Northern Districts’ march to victory against Wellington was halted by rain and they had to settle for a draw.
