Welcome to The Jake Show. Now they just need to get Carter.
The Otago Volts are nicely placed after a busy first day - just the 15 wickets, thanks to a mix of poor batting, good bowling and swinging conditions - of their Plunket Shield clash against Northern Districts at the University Oval.
They had an awful first hour in their home debut but the rest of the day was rather decent, and they have Northern 84 for five, trailing the Volts’ first-innings effort of 181 by 97 runs.
A priority tomorrow morning will be ensuring the visiting captain, Joe Carter, does not turn the rescue effort into anything more than a futile rearguard action.
Carter is on 35 and still has a lot of work to do but he has the potential to flip the game on its head.
Otago’s bowlers, led by the red-hot Jacob Duffy, certainly look up for the fight.
Duffy continued his excellent start to the summer with nine potent overs before stumps that delivered three wickets, and they were big ones.
He had Henry Cooper caught at second slip, Bharat Popli nicking to keeper Max Chu for 6, and dangerman Tim Seifert caught (after a wee bobble) at third slip for 12.
Add in a run out of opener Jeet Raval thanks to a cracking direct hit from Jake Gibson, and Northern was in big strife.
Gibson had earlier played the starring role as he rescued Otago from a grim start to the day.
The Volts won the toss and batted, and that decision seemed... questionable, shall we say... after the first session.
Hamish Rutherford continued his difficult start to the season when he appeared surprised by the bounce and prodded to second slip, Dale Phillips copped one that jagged back and hit the glove on the way to the keeper, and Dean Foxcroft flashed at a wide one.
Eleven for three turned to 71 for five at lunch as there were handy cameos from Jacob Cumming (24) - who gave Dutch spinner Tim Pringle, son of former New Zealand fast bowler Chris, a wicket on debut - and Thorn Parkes (31).
Max Chu added 32 before having his stumps destroyed, and it was 108 for seven when Gibson strode to the crease.
He played with freedom and style as he blasted his second first-class half-century, and highest score, pummelling an unbeaten 60 off 61 balls to lift the Volts’ total into the realm of respectability.
Gibson belted seven fours and two booming sixes off the bowling of tweaker Freddy Walker.
Blundell cracks on, O'Donnell in fine form
• Black Cap Tom Blundell continued his cracking form for Wellington, posting his 13th first-class century in Palmerston North against the Central Stags.
Blundell's 105 propped up Wellington's total of 262 while Stags seamer Liam Dudding - making his first appearance of the season as a professionally contracted player - claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket bag with five for 65.
By stumps, Central was in strife at at 23 for three, trailing by 239 runs, after Logan van Beek struck twice in the space of two balls.
• Auckland captain Robbie O'Donnell led from the front with his eighth first-class century (123) as the Aces reached a solid 349 for eight against Canterbury at Hagley Oval.
Auckland will require just one more run tomorrow morning for a fourth and complete set of batting bonus points.
Henry Shipley (four for 77) and Sean Davey (three for 63) led the charge with the ball for Canterbury, which requires just one more wicket before the 110 overs cut-off for their fourth bowling bonus point.
