The next you are fetching it from beyond the rope.
Otago was comprehensively outplayed by Canterbury at Molyneux Park yesterday.
The visitors posted a challenging 185 for four in front of a crowd of 1571.
That should have been within reach of the Volts. On Monday they clouted a ground record 219 for seven.
But Canterbury has a very decent bowling line-up and was not letting Otago anywhere near the required run rate.
Ed Nuttall took three for 18 and Mat Henry nabbed three for 25 as Otago collapsed to be all out for 124.
Volts coach Rob Walter felt the game slipped away early and losing the toss was crucial as well.
"I think we lost the game in the first six overs. We didn’t bowl very well," he said.
"They got 66 [in the powerplay] which was too many.
"But if you look at the progression of the game, everything sort of slowed down after that.
"And when we batted it just got even slower. Batting in the second innings was really tough, especially when you’re chasing a score like that."
The pitch was used for four twenty20 games in two days and whoever won the toss was always going to bat first.
Canterbury won that toss and its opening pair of Chad Bowes and Ken McClure swung hard and often and the score mounted awfully quickly.
The batsmen were getting excellent value for their shots. Anything in a gap sped to the rope and Bowes and McClure found those gaps — a lot.
The visitors smashed 66 during the powerplay which proved to be a tremendous platform.
Otago broke the 77-run partnership with a run-out. McClure had backed up well but Bowes was ball-watching and did not respond.
McClure’s aggressive knock of 40 from 26 was snuffed out too soon. He deserved better.
Left-arm wrist spinner Michael Rippon helped peg the run rate back with a couple of tidy overs.
But Bowes swung Josh Finnie’s first two deliveries for six to bring up his 50 off 34 balls.
Bowes had to go, from Otago’s point of view, and Rippon delivered. He managed to squeak a delivery passed him somehow.
Canterbury suddenly found itself with two new batsmen at the crease at the death.
It should have cost the Kings some valuable runs. But Cam Fletcher (35 not out) helped club 19 off the penultimate over.
Otago lost a key man early in its chase. Hamish Rutherford mistimed a drive and Will Williams took a nice running catch at mid-off.
Henry had removed a major threat and Canterbury’s quality attack went to work on securing the next big wicket.
Its target was Neil Broom and the pressure was building on him.
He watched as several other would-be allies departed without making an impact.
The 37-year-old did not look in vintage form but he knows how to pace an innings. He can move from sedate to urgent to frenzied — whatever is required.
But Todd Astle denied him that opportunity. The wrist spinner induced a faint edge.
Broom’s 41 was a solid contribution but the Volts needed more from their most experienced campaigner if they were going to emerge victorious.
Otago fell further behind with the wicket of Anaru Kitchen.
With five overs remaining the Volts needed 85 to win — that is 17 an over and a hopeless spot to be in.
