Left-arm pace bowler Craig Smith will make his first Plunket Shield appearance of the summer next week.
Smith, a fine performer in limited-overs cricket earlier in the season, has been called into the Otago team for the clash with Canterbury in Rangiora starting on Monday.
He is effectively a replacement for another left-armer, Neil Wagner, who has been rested for the game.
Wagner leads all Plunket Shield bowlers with 39 wickets (average 18.84).
He needs 15 more wickets to match Stephen Boock's Otago season record of 54, but may find that too difficult with just two games remaining after Rangiora.
Seam bowler Anthony Bullick has been ruled out with a quadriceps strain, and James McMillan and Sam Wells are still sidelined with their own injuries.
Opening batsman Aaron Redmond makes a welcome return after overcoming a finger injury, meaning Craig Cumming or Michael Bracewell may drop down the order.
With three rounds remaining, six points separate the top four teams.
Otago is fourth, on 22 points, just a point behind Canterbury.
The other key game is in Napier, between top teams Central (28 points) and Northern (26).
Wellington (17) heads north to play Auckland (8).
Otago Volts
To play Canterbury
Craig Cumming (captain), Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell, Darren Broom, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder, Shaun Haig, Warren McSkimming, Aaron Redmond, Craig Smith.
