Michael Bracewell is still a bit dirty with himself for the way he got out on Wednesday.
The powerful Otago left-hander had blasted 91 and was seemingly on track to post his second one-day hundred when he flicked a ball off his hip to a fielder.
No real damage was done.
The Volts went on to beat Wellington by a massive 221 runs and will host Auckland in a sudden-death playoff game at Queen's Park in Invercargill today.
Bracewell's fine knock at the top of the innings helped set up a ground-record 362 for eight.
The captain, Hamish Rutherford, whacked 126 off 90 balls and Jimmy Neesham (39), Anaru Kitchen (34) and Derek de Boorder (30 not out) all chipped in to help amass the mammoth total.
Bracewell has shifted back to the top of the one-day order this season and started well with a half-century in the opening game at Molyneux Park.
He struggled during the middle stages of the campaign but, like his team, has found form right when it matters the most.
"I was a bit shaky through the middle there but I've managed to find a way to get a couple of runs in the last couple of games, so I'm pretty happy with the way I'm hitting it at the moment.''
Bracewell's dismissal on 91 came at a time when the Volts were looking to accelerate the scoring.
"I was a little bit frustrated with the way I got out but that is just the way it goes sometimes.''
With Hamish Rutherford, Anaru Kitchen, Brad Wilson and Neil Broom all capable of opening, it was a surprise to see Bracewell shift from his regular spot at No 3. He has opened in the past but had made first drop his own in the last few summers.
"It was an opportunity created by Kingy [Nathan King]. He thought he would ask if I wanted to do it ... and I've really enjoyed it up at the top.''
His combination with Kitchen is still in its infancy but the pair put on their biggest partnership (76 runs) of the campaign in the win against Wellington.
Kitchen is the aggressor which takes the pressure off Bracewell, who can sometimes take a little time to get settled at the crease.
The match against Auckland is on the same wicket. King expects the surface will be slower but should still produce plenty of runs.
That is good news for Otago.
The Volts boast an impressive batting line-up and the bowling is not too bad either with test bowlers Neil Wagner and Mark Craig, and limited-overs off-spinner Nathan McCullum headlining a potent unit.
Fellow Black Cap Jimmy Neesham can be relied on for five overs as the allrounder manages his return to the bowling crease following a layoff for a back complaint.
Auckland, on the other hand, will have to do without some of the players who helped it beat Otago in the twenty20 final last month.
There is no Colin Munro, Jeet Raval or Mitchell McClenaghan but experienced batsman Rob Nicol has been included in a squad of 13.
Promising fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has taken 15 wickets and legspinner Tarun Nethula is a dangerous bowler, while Mark Chapman scored 159 in his most recent innings and big-hitting all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme, who has had a flat campaign with the bat, is due.
"They are quite a different team from the side we played in the twenty20,'' Otago coach Nathan King said.
"They have a lot of young promising cricketers ... so we have to do a bit of homework on their guys because there are a few of them we don't know too much about.''
Otago, though, has six past or present Black Caps and will start as favourite.
Canterbury will host Central Districts in the other preliminary final.
The winner will book a place in the final on January 30 with the loser forced to play the winner of the Otago-Auckland game for a place in the final.
