Volts coach Dimitri Mascarenhas has been thrilled with his side's preparation for its opening Plunket Shield game which gets under way in Napier tomorrow.
Otago produced a fine batting display in a warm-up one-day match against Scotland on Wednesday, posting 361.
The only player in the top order to miss out was Jesse Ryder and he put that right the following day with a magnificent knock against Ireland.
He thrashed 136 from just 57 deliveries.
None of it counted, of course - they were just warm-up matches.
The serious stuff starts tomorrow. Excellent preparation, though.
''It has been as good as we could have possibly hoped for,'' Mascarenhas said.
''As we've seen in the last two games against Scotland and Ireland, we've produced two very good performances.''
That said, there has been one big setback.
Opening batsman Hamish Rutherford has been ruled out after being struck during a warm-up match against Canterbury on Monday and has a badly bruised hand.
He will have to prove his fitness before the Black Caps' away test series against Pakistan next month.
Rutherford's spot has been taken by Ryan Duffy, although it is not clear whether he will open or whether Michael Bracewell will be promoted from No 3. That decision had not been made yet, Mascarenhas said.
''Once we get up there we will look at the conditions and then we will work out what order we want to go with.''
Former Wellington and Auckland cricketer Tipene Friday is poised to make his debut for Otago.
He took three for 30 against Scotland but got clobbered against Ireland.
''He was a bit underdone when he first got here but now he has got a bit more bowling under his belt he is progressing really nicely.''
There is no room for former Central Districts all-rounder Roald Badenhorst, and form batsman Iain Robertson was unavailable due to family commitments.
Speaking of form batsmen, Mascarenhas was suitably impressed with Ryder's sparkling century.
''Jesse just went out and did what Jesse can do. He played beautifully from ball one. He just showed how destructive he can actually be.
''We've had a couple of conversations regarding [his Black Caps's prospects] and he indicated that he would be keen to play.
"But first and foremost he needs to score runs for Otago and push his case.''
Plunket Shield
Napier, starts tomorrow
Otago: Aaron Redmond (captain), Michael Bracewell, Jesse Ryder, Ryan Duffy, Brad Rodden, Sam Wells, Derek de Boorder, Mark Craig, Nick Beard, Neil Wagner, Tipene Friday, Bradley Scott.
Central Districts: Jamie How, Ben Smith, George Worker, Will Young, Greg Hay, Kruger van Wyk, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler, Ajaz Patel, Andrew Mathieson, Seth Rance.
