Instead it was experienced Wellington off spinner Jeetan Patel who excelled on the surface.
The 36-year-old took six for 55 to help dismiss Otago for a modest 208.
It was his 25th first-class five-wicket bag and he bowled unchanged for 26.4 overs. He seized control of the game during the afternoon session when he captured the wickets of Michael Bracewell, Jimmy Neesham and Josh Finnie.
Wellington's reply was solid with the visitors reaching 89 for one at stumps on day one.
The only Wellington batsman to lose his wicket was record-breaker Luke Woodcock.
The veteran was trapped lbw by Neesham for 19 but started the day needing nine runs to overhaul Matthew Bell (6565 runs) as the highest scorer for Wellington.
He set another significant milestone just by turning up for what is his 121st first-class game. Woodcock has now played one more than Evan Gray, who previously held the record for most first-class appearances for Wellington.
As well as Patel bowled, Otago coach Rob Walter was disappointed with his top order.
''You can't win a toss, choose to bat and get bowled out for 208,'' he said.
''The wicket spun a bit, which we didn't expect ... but, that said, we just didn't bat very well and we bowled pretty poorly.
''I think if you go through all of the dismissals you'll find they were all pretty soft, to be honest. You can't have your top order out to soft dismissals, specifically when there is a good spinner who is going to make it really difficult for the tail, which he did.''
Earlier, Otago made a rapid start through Hamish Rutherford, who got after Wellington pace bowler Hamish Bennett. He flicked a delivery from the quick for six and drove anything within reach.
The Volts rushed through to 50 without loss from 10 overs, but the temptation to hit the ball through the covers got the better of Rutherford on 31. He nicked a half volley to third slip off the bowling of veteran seamer Brent Arnel.
Ten overs later, the visitors picked up the wicket of the in-form Otago captain.
Brad Wilson had been doing a fine job taking the shine off the ball and was entrenched at the crease when he was run out for 33.
Michael Bracewell hit the ball into the covers but Wilson was a little slow to set off and could not beat the throw of sub fielder Matt Taylor.
The home side was reasonably placed at 90 for two at lunch, but Patel owned the middle session.
He removed Otago's dangerous middle order and started with Bracewell. The left-hander had played a watchful innings and was on track to post a half-century when he turned the face of his bat and was bowled for 43.
Neesham (11) followed shortly after when he spooned a catch to short leg, and then Josh Finnie (19) cut the ball straight to point in Patel's next over.
Otago had lost four wickets for 91 runs in the session and needed some stiff resistance from Derek de Boorder and Christi Viljoen if it was going to post a reasonable score.
Patel had other ideas and tore through Otago's lower order, dismissing Michael Rae and Jack Hunter with consecutive balls before bowling Viljoen for 28 to quickly wrap the innings.
In the other matches, Auckland is 31 for three in reply to Canterbury's first-innings total of 245 in Rangiora. And in Napier, Central Districts was dismissed for 225 and Northern Districts is 24 for one in reply at stumps on day one.
