You can make up ground awfully quickly in the Plunket Shield.
And Otago have a lot of ground to make up.
Midway through the campaign, the Volts are 10 points adrift of fifth place. That is a diplomatic way of saying they are dead last.
But dead last does not mean they are a dead loss. With a maximum of 80 points still on offer, there is ample room for Otago to move up the standings and perhaps even push for a first title since 1987-88.
That would take a lot of luck, and they would have to loosen their grip on fickle and wrap their heads around a more consistent brand of cricket.
Their last effort sums up how they are capable of playing at both ends of the spectrum. They were rolled by Canterbury for 117 but fought back to post 515 in the second innings to give themselves a chance to win the game.
Yet that match slipped away. Ultimately, the head start they gifted Canterbury proved unassailable. But the second innings effort was proof they can operate at a higher level.
Keeper Max Chu and captain Luke Georgeson combined in a monster, record-equalling 265-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
It was a gutsy effort by both of them. Georgeson shook off a hamstring complaint and registered his maiden first-class ton — a fine innings of 159 not out. And Chu, who was struck by a bouncer late on day three and missed the final day due to concussion symptoms, added a career-high 130 in almost eight hours at the crease.
They have been two of the best Otago players in the campaign.
Chu is the fourth-leading scorer in the competition. He has stroked 360 runs at an average of 60 and has effected seven dismissals.
Georgeson’s undefeated century in his last innings has helped the left-hander climb into the top 10 as well. He has 281 runs at 46.83.
He is also in the top 10 for wickets taken. The 25-year-old right-armer has nabbed 12 wickets at 23.50.
Otago’s Jarrod McKay tops the list with 16 wickets at 31.25 and is having a breakthrough season, and Travis Muller (14 at 35.14) has taken his share of poles as well.
There are other smaller individual successes you can point to and be left wondering how it is Otago is at the bottom and have not won a game.
But collectively they are under-performing.
They have had to make do without spearhead Jacob Duffy for the first three games while he patrolled the sidelines for the Black Caps. He is poised on 299 first-class wickets, but went wicketless in his return for the Volts against Canterbury in Rangiora this week.
The Volts started poorly. They suffered an eight-wicket loss to Central Districts in Napier. The home game against Wellington was rain-affected and ended in a draw. They were very lucky to exit Seddon Park with a draw against Northern Districts. Brent Hampton hammered a century off 73 balls in the first innings and ND were on track to a win when the weather took over.
The Plunket Shield will resume in March. Otago will head north to play Wellington at the Basin Reserve then have three homes game to finish the season.
They host Central Districts at Molyneux Park from March 13, and round out the summer against Auckland and Northern Districts. Both those matches are in Dunedin.
Plunket Shield
The standings
Canterbury 52
Northern Districts 48
Central Districts 47
Wellington 38
Auckland 32
Otago 22
