The Otago Volts are winning the race to the bottom.
They slumped to their fourth consecutive loss to open the summer.
The latest disappointment was meted out at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
Otago were rolled for a modest 227.
Wellington eased to a four-wicket win.
Canterbury posted a comfortable six-wicket win against Northern Districts in Hamilton to move into top spot in the Ford Trophy.
Central Districts dispatched Auckland by 136 runs to claim second place.
Wellington’s win lifted them to third, and the Volts are even more entrenched at the bottom of the competition standings.
They went into the Wellington game missing key seamer Danru Ferns.
Twenty-one-year-old left-armer Thomas Connor took Ferns’ spot in the lineup and shone on list A debut.
He nabbed the wicket of opener Callum McLachlan for 47.
O’Connor claimed one for 19 from his five-over spell.
But the Volts’ attack did not have enough runs to work with.
Once again, the innings featured several players getting good starts, but they were unable to press on and make a more threatening impact.
Opener Jamal Todd (14) nicked off early and Jack Boyle (25) hit out.
Max Chu topped scored with 57 from 62. But he clubbed a full toss to Gareth Severin.
It was that kind of day for Otago.
Troy Johnson (34) and Luke Georgeson (40) sold their innings short as well.
The tail did not wag and they were left defending a modest tally.
Veteran Wellington leg-spinner Peter Younghusband took three for 39, and James Hartshorn and Jesse Tashkoff grabbed a couple each.
Wellington always appeared in control of the chase despite hitting some road bumps.
Tashkoff skied a catch off the bowling of Matt Bacon for 14.
McLachlan’s departure provided some hope.
Severin (18) and Nick Kelly (6) brought some joy to the Otago camp.
But Black Caps wicketkeeper Tom Blundell added an undefeated 64 from 84 balls to guide his side to victory.
Sam Mycock joined him on the journey. He struck 37 in a partnership of 64 with Blundell.
The light at the end of the tunnel dimmed after that partnership.
Otago left-arm spinner Ben Lockrose trapped Nick Greenwood in front for two runs.
But there was no further drama.
Blundell clipped a loose delivery from Bacon off his pads. It sped to the boundary to complete the victory with the best part of four overs remaining.
Otago's next assignment is against Northern Districts in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.
Wellington is at home to Auckland, and Canterbury will host Central Districts in a top-of-the-table match.
The competition will then go into a hiatus until early February.
FORD TROPHY
OTAGO
J Todd c Younghusband b Dudding 14
J Boyle c Younghusband b Greenwood 25
M Chu c Severin b Younghusband 57
T Parkes c Tashkoff b Younghusband 16
L Johnson lbw b Younghusband 10
T Johnson c Hartshorn b Tashkoff 34
L Georgeson c McLachlan b Hartshorn 40
B Lockrose run out (Snedden) 5
T O'Connor c Greenwood b Hartshorn 8
M Bacon lbw b Tashkoff 1
J McKay not out 0
Extras (3lb, 1nb, 13w): 17
Total (all out, 49.5 overs)227
Fall: 1-17, 2-79, 3-122, 4-125, 5-144, 6-187, 7-195, 8-207, 9-211, 10-227.
Bowling: L Dudding 5-1-30-1 (1w, 1nb), J Hartshorn 9.5-0-33-2 (5w), M Snedden 8 -0-41-0 (3w), N Greenwood 10-0-46-1, Younghusband 10-0-39-3, J Tashkoff 7-0-35-2.
WELLINGTON
J Tashkoff c Georgeson b Bacon 14
C McLachlan c L Johnson b O'Connor 47
G Severin c Todd b McKay 18
N Kelly lbw McKay 6
S Mycock c Chu b Bacon 37
T Blundell not out 64
N Greenwood lbw Lockrose 2
P Younghusband not out 27
Extras (1lb, 12w):13
Total (for 6 wickets, 46.2 overs): 228
Fall: 1-33, 2-82, 3-86, 4-101, 5-165, 6-178.
Bowling: M Bacon 9.2-2-49-2 (2w), L Georgeson 9-0-58-0 (5w), T O'Connor 5-1-19-1 (1w), J McKay 10-0-47-2 (1w), B Lockrose 10-1-42-1 (2w), J Boyle 3-0-12-0.
Result: Wellington won by 4 wkts.
