Otago is one win away from playing in the one-day final but it will have to beat the competition's best side to get there.
Otago demolished Auckland in its sudden-death playoff match in Invercargill on Saturday and it appeared as if Canterbury was doing the same to Central Districts in Christchurch.
But Jesse Ryder and Ben Wheeler put on a record seventh-wicket partnership of 163 to help the defending champion secure a two-wicket win and a home venue for Saturday's final.
Canterbury has a second chance to make the final. It will host Otago in a preliminary final at Hagley Oval on Wednesday.
The winner will join Central in the big dance, so there is plenty to play for. Form suggests Canterbury will be the favourite. It topped the standings with five wins from eight games during the round-robin phase, including two comfortable wins against Otago.
‘‘They've touched us up twice already in the competition and they have been the form team,'' Otago coach Nathan King said.
‘‘But it is also about playing good cricket at the right time. They've lost two in a row now. It doesn't mean they are going to lose the next one but we've played our best cricket at the right time in this competition.
‘‘We are in a good space at the moment and really looking forward to this next game.''
Otago's key batsmen, Neil Broom, Hamish Rutherford and Michael Bracewell, have all been scoring heavily and, with a bowling attack featuring Black Caps Neil Wagner, Jimmy Neesham, Mark Craig and Nathan McCullum, the Volts boast a formidable line-up.
Otago will name its team today but pencil in the same 12. Unless someone is injured at training, there is unlikely to be any change.
The team will travel to Christchurch tomorrow and have a light ‘‘run around''.
