It is about time.
Last season, declaring your first innings behind effectively cost two points, with your opponent picking up the points for the first innings win.
There was no real incentive to declare in that situation and as a result too many games would meander towards a draw with sides locked into a protracted battle for innings honours. Time would slip away and with it the chance of an outright win.
But changes to the way points are scored in Plunket Shield games this summer had already had an impact on the way teams approach a declaration, Otago coach Vaughn Johnson said.
"The new points system encourages teams to bat in a more positive way and, hopefully, you will find there are going to be more outright results," he said.
That proved to be the case in Otago's opening Plunket Shield game against Canterbury in Rangiora this week. The match appeared to be heading towards a draw but the visitors declared at 300 for five, conceeding a first-innings deficit of 120 runs.
Last summer, Canterbury would have banked two points and Otago would have been reluctant to concede those points, especially considering the most likely outcome shaped as a draw.
But Otago captain Aaron Redmond had nothing to lose by declaring behind.
Remarkably, his side dismissed Canterbury for 61 in its second innings and was left needing 182 for the outright win. Otago reached the target with six second-innings wickets in hand.
First innings points are now awarded to each team based on how many runs are scored and wickets are taken by the end of the 110th over. It had a big impact on the way Otago approached it innings and subsequent declaration.
"I don't see much sense in batting on after 110 overs because it takes time out of the game and you not achieving anything unless it is your strategy to bat once," Johnson saidAn outright win is now worth 12 points and teams can score a maximum of eight points each from the first innings.
In total, 20 points are on offer. It is a lot, especially if poor weather intervenes. Teams get just two points if a game is abandoned.
"In any competition you need a bit of luck and weather will play its part," Johnson said. "You can't control what happens upstairs so you just have to get on with it."
Otago's next assignment is against Central Districts in Lincoln beginning on Monday. Johnson will name his side today.
Fast bowler James McMillan is under an injury cloud and is being monitored. Black Caps opener Brendon McCullum will join the side.
Opener Craig Cumming is approaching a significant milestone. He needs a further 49 runs to overhaul Bert Sutcliffe's record Otago total of 6028 runs.
Batsman Neil Broom will be playing his 50th first-class game for Otago and brought up 4000 career runs with his haul of 62 runs in the opening match.
Wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder is on 99 career catches and strike bowler Neil Wagner needs three more wickets to reach 200 first-class wickets.
• Wagner picked up the fans' choice award at the New Zealand Cricket awards on Thursday night.
Fewer than one-hundred votes separated the top four contenders with Wagner edging out notable performances by Tim Southee, Chris Martin, Matt Henry and Ross Taylor.
Wagner became the first bowler in first-class cricket to take five wickets in a six-ball over. He performed the remarkable feat in Otago's Plunket Shield fixture against Wellington last summer.
