Otago has slumped to four consecutive first-class losses — its worst run in 15 years. Cricket writer Adrian Seconi scratches off the sugar coating in the hope of finding a palatable centre.
The captain has four ducks.
One of Otago's best batsmen has been buried in the middle order.
Our spinner batted at No3 in the most recent match.
The top five have done a decent job of synchronising their failures.
And the Volts have lost four consecutive first-class games - their worst run since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 teams strung together 10 straight losses.
Not much has gone right, particularly with the bat. Rob Nicol has been the leading non-contributor in that department.
The Otago skipper has registered seven scores of five or less and amassed just 90 runs at an average of 10. It is the kind of form which gets you dropped.
The 34-year-old will be hoping he can hit himself back into form when the one-day campaign gets under way on Sunday.
He is not the only top-order batsman struggling. Brad Wilson scored a century in his most recent innings but his form has been fickle.
Neil Broom is operating below his best and the decision to bat all-rounder Jimmy Neesham at No5 has not paid off.
The left-hander has been getting starts and then finding ways to get out.
Hamish Rutherford has been the exception. The opener is the fifth-leading scorer in the competition with 424 runs at an average of 42.40.
Anaru Kitchen scored a double hundred batting at No6 last season but has dropped down to No7 this summer.
Given he is doing considerably better than just about everybody ahead of him, with 274 runs at 39.14, he should have a bigger role to play.
Particularly when you consider Broom was unavailable for round two and round five. That seemed like a prime opportunity to squeeze more out of Kitchen.
The 33-year-old scored four first-class centuries last summer and he is certainly better equipped to bat up the order than leg-spinner Michael Rippon.
Rippon has been performing minor miracles with the ball in club cricket and deserved an opportunity in the last game. But that opportunity came in the top order as a fill-in for Broom, not at the expense of fellow spinner Mark Craig who is still finding his rhythm following a long lay-off with a back injury.
Rippon bowled 39 overs in the first innings before going into bat at No3. That is what you call a hospital pass.
He performed well in his core role, though, picking up four wickets in the second innings.
The bowling has been a rare highlight for the Volts.
Jacob Duffy has claimed back-to-back five wicket bags and has emerged as a more accurate bowler after spending some time remodelling his action.
Paceman Warren Barnes made a promising first-class debut and should have an impact in the limited-overs formats.
And while the Volts have lost four in a row, they could easily have won the past two.
The team has been playing catch-up since the heavy losses to Wellington and Auckland and have taken risks which have not worked out.
The Plunket Shield resumes in March and Otago will be hoping for a much improved second half of the campaign.
The batting line-up certainly has the experience to overcome the poor start.
Let's hope Nicol puts some runs on those quackers.
