Albion left-arm spinner Nic Beard and Green Island opener Hamish Rutherford have been rewarded for early-season form with a place in Otago's first squad of the summer.
The pair have been named in an 18-strong squad to play back-to-back, two-day, pre-season fixtures against Canterbury in Lincoln next week.
Rutherford, the son of former New Zealand cricketer Ken Rutherford, has been in fine form in the Dunedin senior club tournament and in the Districts Series, scoring two 100s.
Beard, who represented New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year, is a promising bowler with a growing reputation.
"We've got a couple of good off-spinners in Nathan McCullum and Will Somerville but Nic just offers us something different," Otago coach Mike Hesson said.
"So we want to introduce him to the environment to see how he goes."
Rutherford is in that category as well.
"We've been keeping an eye on Hamish for quite a while. He looks a good player and is starting to get the runs on the board. And once again we want to test him at the next level."
For middle-order batsmen Jordan Sheed and Marcel McKenzie the news was not so good.
Both have been leapfrogged in the pecking order and missed selection.
"A couple of guys have leapt ahead of them but that doesn't mean they won't come back into the mix."
Hesson said the pre-season games against Canterbury were important to help the players get their workloads up and to adjust to playing on grass.
He is also hoping the fixtures will help him solve a few selection dilemmas.
"Throughout the four days, hopefully some of those questions will be answered. But we've got a very good squad of 18 with genuine first-class players."
With Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond both likely to be on duty for the national side when Otago opens its State Championship campaign against Northern Districts at the University Oval on November 17, there is an opening spot up for grabs.
Hesson said Leighton Morgan, Shaun Haig and Rutherford could all do the job at the top of the innings.
But with the No 5 spot also unsettled, Morgan, Haig and Sam Wells will get opportunities in the middle order to press their claims.
Rutherford is seen as a specialist opener at this stage in his career and is unlikely to be considered in that role.
Competition for bowling spots is fierce with eight seamers fighting for four spots, Hesson said.
"We know throughout the year we'll have some attrition. But, hopefully, in a couple of weeks' time we've still got eight guys fighting for spots."
Mat Harvie was sidelined last season with a back injury, but is fit and bowling with pace.
Paceman James McMillan has lost 14kg over the winter and is bowling with good rhythm, Hesson said.
South African-born left arm swing bowler Neil Wagner will get his first opportunity for the province.
Medium pacer Warren McSkimming has been one of Otago's most consistent performers over the past three or four seasons but could find himself bowling first-change this summer, with Craig Smith and Ian Butler battling for the fourth seamer's spot.
Otago
Squad
Otago squad to play back-to-back, two-day fixtures against Canterbury in Lincoln next week.-
Nic Beard, Derek de Boorder, Neil Broom, Anthony Bullick, Ian Butler, Craig Cumming, Shaun Haig, Mat Harvie, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, Warren McSkimming, Leighton Morgan, Hamish Rutherford, Craig Smith, Will Somerville, Greg Todd, Neil Wagner, Sam Wells.
