Rain has delayed play with Otago 211 for four in its four-day match with Canterbury.
The home side made a positive start racing to 72 without loss before captain Craig Cumming got an edge to Michael Papps at first slip.
Shaun Haig scored nine boundaries in his innings of 52 before he hit a cut shot on the up and was caught at deep point.
Veteran Canterbury all-rounder Andrew Ellis picked up the wickets of Greg Todd for 31 and Hamish Rutherford without scoring to help wrest back the momentum.
But Neil Broom (48) and Nathan McCullum (30) have put on an unbroken partnership of 66 for the fifth-wicket.
