The Volts had reached 161 for five at stumps on day three of their Plunket Shield match at the University Oval yesterday.
The home side leads by 315 runs having dismissed Central Districts for 359 in its first innings.
There is a minimum of 96 overs remaining in the game and a result seemingly hinges on a clever declaration.
The trick is both sides will have to feel like they have a chance to win.
"I suppose 90-odd overs, I reckon," Volts captain Rob Nicol said when pressed on how long the team would need to take another 10 wickets.
"There is an element of a punt but we are dead keen [to make an enticing declaration]."
With Wellington way out in front in the tournament, both sides need an outright.
"Exactly. That’s the exciting element about this fixture.
"We’re both in a position where we want to be drafting behind the leader and trying to see if we catch them at some point in the next half of the season."
Otago got a breakthrough with the fifth ball of the day when Ross Taylor got an inside edge on to his pad and the ball ballooned to gully.
Removing the Black Caps No4 was a coup but also brought an in-form Jesse Ryder to the crease.
Ryder looked in menacing touch but the Volts got a slice of luck when Ryder made an error after lunch. He got under a drive and holed out for 56.
Part-time spinner Anaru Kitchen was the unlikely source of the wicket.
Michael Rae took a stunning catch at point to remove the dangerous Tom Bruce (57), and the new ball ushered in the demise of Dane Cleaver (10) and Adam Milne (24).
Duffy nabbed both wickets and finished with three for 84 from 25 overs in a tireless display.Rae and Neil Wagner grabbed two apiece.
Wagner’s haul enabled him to move up one place on the list of wicket-takers for Otago to fourth place with 269 wickets. He overhauled Neil Mallender, who took 268 wickets in 78 games for the province from 1983 to 1993.
Otago started its second innings with 154 runs in the bank which meant the team could play with freedom.
Hamish Rutherford does not play the hook shot much but got it out when Adam Milne dug one in short and cleared the boundary by plenty.
It was a good bumper but an even better shot. It was also a clear sign Otago was not planning on occupying the crease for long.
Otago raced to 65 without loss before the aggressive game plan began to unravel slightly. Brad Wilson (25) got an edge, the out-of-form Nicol (0) slashed the ball to backward point and then Rutherford (39) was trapped lbw.
The ball looked suspiciously like it might have pitched outside leg, though.
The Volts had lost three wickets in just under two overs. But Neil Broom (30) and Jimmy Neesham (36) kept the pressure on, rattling on 68 runs from 67 balls.
In the other game, Auckland beat Northern Districts by eight wickets at Seddon Park.
It was left chasing a very modest target of 72 after dismissing the home side for 238 in its second innings.
Matt McEwan was the star with six for 48.
