Jake Gibson blasted the Volts into the Super Smash playoffs with a superb 96 from 63 balls against Canterbury at Hagley Oval on Saturday.
The 25-year-old got out within sight of victory and four runs shy of a maiden century.
He would change that bit, but otherwise it was a memorable occasion for the right-hander who, in most estimations, started the season off as a bowler who could bat a bit.
"Obviously I’m pretty fizzed about it because we are into the playoffs with a game in hand and still have a crack at a home final. That is what we’ve been working towards, so it was good to take that step," he said.
The win moved the Volts (24 points) into top spot.
They play Canterbury (20 points) again today but this time at the University Oval. The winner will clinch top spot and be rewarded with a home final on Saturday, and will get to skip the elimination final against Northern Districts (22 points) on Thursday.
Gibson smashed four sixes and nine fours during his stint at the crease. He tried to swing away a 10th four which would have raised his hundred and won the game, but he got a top edge to Mitchell Hay.
But the disappointment of getting out would have eased when Ben Lockrose hit the next ball down the ground for six to seal victory.
"Yeah, it was," Gibson responded when asked it it was annoying to get out so close to a century.
"It was getting a little bit niggly because I had to hit a boundary to get a hundred [with two runs needed to win] but, to be honest, when I was in the 90s I was looking at the scoreboard and focusing on how many we needed to win.
"I was just more gutted I wasn’t there at the end, to be honest."
The decision to promote Gibson to the top of the order two games ago has proven to be a successful tactic. He had not been getting much of a bowl with Otago’s bowling unit operating well, so he jumped at the chance to open the innings.
Canterbury recovered from 55 for four to post 156 for eight.
That looked on the light side, but Otago lost regular wickets and was forced to work hard. Former Volts all-rounder Angus McKenzie nabbed four for 15 for Canterbury and the game went down to the last over.
Josh Finnie clobbered two sixes in the penultimate over to help release the pressure.
Volts captain Hamish Rutherford made 21 at the top, but the Otago innings was more or less a one-man show.
Earlier, Canterbury opener Chad Bowes stroked back-to-back fours to open the innings but got out looking for a third.
Canterbury’s troubles compounded when Leo Carter sliced a catch to mid-on for two in the next over.
Cole McConchie clobbered an enormous six over mid-wicket to send Otago a brief reminder the game is still about the batters.
But Michael Rae snuffed out the promising knock when he found the edge of the Canterbury captain’s blade.
The home team exited the powerplay more than a little bruised at 36 for three.
Opener Ken McClure (44) had preserved his wicket and he muscled the home team into a decent position with five overs remaining.
Hay, who was dropped on 14, got through to 46 and got his side past 150.
Spinning all-rounder Michael Rippon returns to the Volts squad for today’s rematch, but there is no place for fellow Black Caps returnees Jacob Duffy and Glenn Phillips.
Canterbury
C Bowes c Johnson b Muller 8 (3)
K McClure c Phillips b Rae 44 (37)
L Carter c Finnie b Bacon 2 (4)
C McConchie c Phillips b Rae 15 (11)
C Fletcher c Rae b Lockrose 11 (16)
M Hay c Lockrose b Bacon 46 (32)
Z Foulkes c Phillips b Muller 8 (6)
A McKenzie run out (Bacon) 12 (10)
T Astle not out 1 (1)
Extras (2b, 7w7) 9
Total (8 wickets, 20 overs) 156
Fall: 1-8, 2-13, 3-34, 4-55, 5-109, 6-122, 7-153, 8-156.
Bowling: T Muller 4-0-35-2 (1w), M Bacon 4-0-17-2 (2w), M Rae 4-0-38-2, B Lockrose 4-0-24-1 (2w), D Foxcroft 2-0-24-0, J Finnie 1-0-9-0, H Rutherford 1-0-7-0 (1w).
Otago
H Rutherford c Foulkes b Astle 21 (12)
J Gibson c Hay b McKenzie 96 (63)
D Foxcroft lbw b McKenzie 3 (8)
D Phillips c Fletcher b McKenzie 7 (14)
L Johnson c Fletcher b Nuttall 7 (13)
N Kwant b McKenzie 2 (3)
J Finnie not out 14 (3)
B Lockrose not out 6 (1)
Extras (3lb, 2w) 5
Total (6 wickets, 19.3 overs) 161
Bowlers: Z Foulkes 3-0-35-0, WP O’Rourke 3-0-34-0, T Astle 4-0-35-1, A McKenzie 3.3-1-15-4 (1w), C McConchie 2-0-11-0, E Nuttall 4-0-28-1.
Result: Otago won by four wickets.
Otago Volts to play Canterbury
Hamish Rutherford (captain), Matt Bacon, Max Chu, Josh Finnie, Dean Foxcroft, Jake Gibson, Llew Johnson, Nick Kwant, Ben Lockrose, Travis Muller, Dale Phillips, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon.
