Ian Butler won't be given the key to Dunedin just yet but the bowling all-rounder certainly improved his standing with his new team-mates after helping Otago gain first-innings points in its drawn match with Northern Districts.
Otago resumed the fourth day at 256 for nine, needing 20 runs to secure two competition points.
Butler, who transferred to the province from Northern Districts this season, kept his head against his old team-mates and edged Otago closer to its target while doing his best to shelter No 11 batsman James McMillan from the strike.
He need not have been so protective, as McMillan did a fine job stonewalling at the other end.
Aside from a glance for four early, Butler worked singles into the leg side from typically the third or fourth ball of the over.
With five more required, Butler teed off, depositing a delivery from left-arm spinner Bruce Martin on to the roof of the media centre.
It was a clean and clinical strike, and straight after it Otago captain Craig Cumming declared.
With so much time lost in the match because of poor weather an outright result was always going to be difficult.
The game drifted through the motions with Northern reaching 181 for seven before both captains agreed to an early finish shortly after 5pm.
Northern opener Cameron Merchant, who made a first-ball duck in the first innings, avoided a pair but only just.
He played and missed at a good delivery from Neil Wagner.
The left-hander perished just before lunch with Northern going to the break at 70 for one.
Wagner snaffled two wickets in consecutive deliveries to send shivers through the Northern camp.
He drew an edge from BJ Watling then removed James Marshall.
Bizarrely, the Northern captain chose to advance down the wicket to a short delivery and fended at the ball awkwardly, steering it to the wicketkeeper.
Kane Williamson top-scored for Northern in the first innings with 82 and was playing nicely today until he was run out on 23.
The 18-year-old was one of the few batsmen prepared to attack on a low and slow pitch.
He lofted off-spinner Nathan McCullum for six over long-on and generally looked to score runs where many would have been content to defend.
Wagner can be well pleased with his first outing for the province.
The South African-born left-arm swing bowler attacked the crease and bowled with aggression to take five wickets for the match.
After performing minor heroics with the bat, Butler took two for 19 from 12 overs and grabbed a catch to completed a satisfying debut.
But the star of the match was undoubtedly Northern Districts opening bowler Trent Boult.
The 19-year-old bowled with good pace and stuck to a disciplined line and length.
His five-wicket haul should give him plenty of confidence going into round two.
Otago's next match is against Canterbury in Invercargill starting on Monday.
Wellington got some revenge on State Championship champion Canterbury by completing a dominant innings win at the Basin Reserve, the venue where Canterbury won the 2007-08 final between the teams in April.
The innings and 42-run defeat was Canterbury's second loss from two matches, after it succumbed to Auckland last week.
The visitors offered little resistance yesterday, their 224 an improvement on their first dig of 162 but still not within sight of Wellington's sole effort of 428 for eight declared.
Rain kept Central Districts waiting before the skies cleared, enabling it to complete a 138-run win over Auckland yesterday.
Central Districts won the match before lunch at Nelson Park in Napier after setting Auckland a victory target of 342 on Wednesday then bowling it out for 203 yesterday.
Scoreboard at the end of play on the fourth day of the State Championship cricket match between Otago and Northern Districts at University Oval in Dunedin today:-
Northern Districts
First innings 275
Otago
First innings (overnight 256-9)
C Cumming c McGlashan b Arnel 85
H Rutherford b Boult 0
G Todd b Boult 29
N Broom b Arnel 54
S Haig c Boult b Martin 2
N McCullum lbw Aldridge 23
D de Boorder lbw Boult 16
I Butler not out 37
N Wagner c McGlashan b Boult 2
M Harvie c Watling b Boult 0
J McMillan not out 8
Extras (6b, 13lb, 2nb) 21
Total (for 9 wkts dec in 127.2 overs) 277
Fall: 1, 70, 142, 145, 191, 227, 229, 235
Bowling: T Boult 20-3-58-5, B Arnel 33-12-55-2 (1nb), B Scott 23-10-48-0, G Aldridge 18-5-38-1, B Martin 28.2-10-48-1 (1nb), K Williamson 5-0-11-0.
Northern Districts
Second innings
C Merchant c Butler b Harvie 25
B Watling c Broom b Wagner 40
M Parlane b Butler 18
J Marshall c de Boorder b Wagner 0
K Williamson run out 23
P McGlashan c Broom b Wagner 10
B Martin b Butler 0
G Aldridge not out 25
B Scott not out 21
Extras (14b, 2lb, 1w, 2nb) 19
Total (for 7 wkts in 74 overs) 181
Fall: 56, 78, 78, 99, 118, 118, 127
Bowling: N Wagner 16-5-32-3, M Harvie 8-2-21-1, J McMillan
10-0-45-0 (1w, 2nb), I Butler 12-3-19-2, N McCullum 24-9-42-0,
C Cumming 3-2-6-0, N Broom 1-1-0-0
Result: draw. Otago take first innings points.
