From the dashing and daring to the careful and steadfast, the opening batsmen set the tone and are the first line of defence against the new ball.
They are also the focus of the first in our series of profiles on the greatest cricket players in Otago's history.
The series is designed to help readers name their all-time Otago Best XI. Your selections should be based on the contribution and impact players had for Otago in first-class cricket.
We have selected a panel of experts to name the Best XI, which will be unveiled on December 18.
You can enter at any time between now and December 16 by emailing your Best XI, plus a 12th man, to adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz or by posting it to Best XI Competition, ODT Sports Department, P O Box 517, Dunedin 9054.
Batting orders tend to be fairly fluid so feel free to select someone in a position other than that in which they have been listed. Many of these opening batsmen, for example, can also be considered for other positions in the top order.
In alphabetical order, here are the leading - but not the only - contenders for the two opening batting roles. -
> CRAIG CUMMING
78 matches, 5331 runs at 41.97
A reliable contributor and superb leader, few players have contributed as much to Otago cricket. The right-hander is in his 11th season for the Volts and has scored 17 100s, eight of those coming in the past two seasons. He needs one more ton and a further 698 runs to overtake Bert Sutcliffe as the province's leading century-maker and leading scorer.
> CHRIS GAFFANEY
75 matches, 4326 runs at 34.06
A dashing and audacious opener who bravely threw the bat at the ball - a style which was perhaps better suited to limited-overs cricket. In 10 seasons for Otago, Gaffaney scored seven 100s and 23 half-centuries. Only five players have scored more runs for the province.
> WALTER HADLEE
7 matches, 784 runs at 65.33
Hadlee played most of his cricket in Canterbury but made a positive impact in brief career for Otago. The classy right-hander scored three 100s in seven matches and averaged more than 65.
> MATT HORNE
23 matches, 1977 runs at 52.02
Horne played most of his domestic cricket for Auckland but Otago got the best out of the right-hander. An attacking player with a high backlift, Horne scored seven 100s, including a massive innings of 241 against Auckland in March 1998.
> AARON REDMOND
35 matches, 2268 runs at 41.23
Redmond started his career as a legspinner who batted a bit and transformed himself into a top-order batsman. A solid defence and good aggressive intent have seen the right-hander compile a useful record which includes four 100s.
> MARK RICHARDSON
49 matches, 3089 at 39.10
Richardson started his career as a slow left-arm bowler but got the yips and turned himself into a superb international opening batsman. He saved his best performances for the Black Caps but still managed to score eight centuries for the province.
> BERT SUTCLIFFE
60 matches, 6028 at 59.09
The darling of Otago cricket, Sutcliffe is widely considered the best player to have represented the province. He has scored more runs for Otago than anyone else and shares top billing with Craig Cumming as the leading century-maker with 17. His remarkable innings of 385 is the highest individual score in New Zealand first-class cricket.
> GLENN TURNER
59 matches, 4439 at 46.72
If Sutcliffe is the king then Turner is the prince of Otago cricket. He carved out a remarkable record, scoring 13 centuries for the province. His haul of 1027 runs in 1975-76 remains an Otago season record, and he is one of only two Otago players to have scored four centuries in a season, a feat he achieved twice.
