The Volts will go from the wilderness to the wicket at Molyneux Park today.
Otago takes on Canterbury in a warm-up match before the two teams clash again in their opening-round game of the Plunket Shield in less than two weeks.
Finally hitting the pitch today will be the culmination of a long and varied build-up for the Rob Walter-coached team.
As well as spending endless hours in the nets, the team spent four days hiking and orienteering in Mt Aspiring National Park.
The excursion was led by renowned team culture specialist Owen Eastwood, who lists the All Blacks among the long list of professional sides with whom he has worked.
The camp aimed to bring the team closer together and ultimately win games, Walter said.
''At the end of the day, everyone in the country is hitting balls and bowling balls and it is up to us to find out what our point of difference will be and where we will be able to gain a competitive advantage over the competition.''
Walter is already seeing results with four new players - Rob Nicol, Matt Bacon, Jack Hunter and Shawn Hicks - all gelling easily into the teams's set-up, he said.
''They are going well. They are really good guys adding value to our group.''
The coach has been especially impressed with the 34-year-old Nicol's enthusiasm and desire to contribute to his new team before today's game.
''Importantly, he wants to contribute and he wants to make a difference, so if you come with all that experience and you want to make an impact then certainly he is doing that, that is for sure.''
Nicol, Hicks and Bacon will all experience game time in the pre-season match with 13 players named to rotate spells on the field, over the four days.
The side also includes unwanted Black Caps Neil Broom and Jimmy Neesham.
The have an opportunity to turn around their selection snubs starting today after Black Caps coach Mike Hesson handed both players a list of areas to work on in their games.
Seizing the opportunity the four-day pre-season game presents is something their coach is adamant the whole team must do.
''For me it is not really a trial game - we have been training for some time now.''
''So, two weeks out it is really about getting a bit more competitive cricket.''
''These games provide a nice low-pressure forum for guys to just bat and bowl and take one step closer to being ready for that first Plunket [Shield] game.''
Otago faces reigning Plunket Shield holder in Canterbury which will play for the first time in 16 seasons without former captain Peter Fulton, who retired in April.
The team will also be without injured frontline bowlers Kyle Jamieson and Ed Nuttall.
