It is all or nothing for the Otago Sparks this weekend.
While the Sparks are out of contention in the twenty/20 tournament, the remote possibility of playing in the one-day final remains.
Wellington leads the competition with 24 points from Central Districts (22), Auckland (16), Northern Districts (15), Otago (14) and Canterbury (12).
But with a maximum of 10 competition points still on offer, the door has been left ajar.
At the very least, the Sparks will need to beat Canterbury in their remaining two round-robin matches and keep their fingers crossed for many other results to go their way.
Potentially they could finish as high as second and secure a final's berth in what is a very evenly-contested tournament.
On the other hand, back-to-back losses would result in Otago finishing last.
"There is a mathematical chance but realistically the chance is very slim," Sparks coach Nathan King said.
"But all we are hoping to do is put in a couple of good days of cricket. Whatever else happens, happens."
The Sparks play Canterbury in a twenty/20 fixture at the University Oval today.
The game will serve as a curtain-raiser for the Otago Volts twenty/20 match against the Canterbury Wizards, but it is a dead rubber with both sides unable to make the final.
Otago has lost all four of its twenty/20 matches and will be looking to finish the season on a high note.
But Canterbury has traditionally been a bogey team for the province, King said.
"I was asking some of the girls when was the last time we actually beat them and it hasn't been in the last five or six years. We've won the odd warm-up game but, in terms of a competition game, it has been some time."
The Sparks have shown they can beat any team on their day, King said.
But whether they can get over the mental hurdle of playing Canterbury remains to be seen.
"If we are on song and some of our key players perform and the other girls support them, then we've got every chance of beating Canterbury."
King said the high point of the season was watching some of the senior players perform well and some of the youngsters come on.
Katey Martin has had a good summer with the bat and all-rounder Sarah Tsukigawa and leg-spinner Emma Campbell have been impressive.
Players such as Lucy Foote, Kyle Crowley and Lisa Grant have all made high scores in either the twenty/20 or one-day tournament.
But the Sparks' inability to close the tight games was probably the low point, King said.
"The nature of the competition is that it is very close. One or two points here or there can change where you end up on the table. If we don't perform over the weekend we could end up last," he said, though that would not be a fair reflection of the team's performance.
Otago v Canterbury
Today, University Oval
Otago Sparks: Victoria Abbott, Emma Campbell, Kyle Crowley, Lucy Foote, Lisa Grant, Amanda Green, Tessa Hopkinson, Megan Kane, Katey Martin (c), Sarah Osborne, Clare Taylor, Sarah Tsukigawa.
Canterbury (from): Amber Boyce, Amy Satterwaite, Beth McNeill, Erin Bermingham, Frances Mackay, Helen Watson, Janet Brehaut, Krista Neilson, Lea Tahuhu, Maria Fahey, Michelle Mitchell, Rowan Milburn.
