They've broken the bank to get him here - now Northern Knights coach Grant Bradburn is banking on Sri Lankan star batsman Thilakaratne Dilshan to breathe life into his side's brittle top order.
Otago last night opened the fifth round of the HRV Cup competition with a 10-run win over Northern Districts at Invercargill, overtaking Central Districts at the top of the table.
A 56 not out off 32 balls by skipper Craig Cumming, coming in at No 4, helped boost Otago's score to 160 for three after he won the toss and decided to bat first at Queen's Park.
In reply, Northern Districts mustered 150-8 in their 20 overs.
Northern were 62 for four at the halfway mark of their innings after they were unable to patch together solid partnerships in the face of some accurate bowling.
International bowler Tim Southee, who captured a wicket earlier, blasted a whirlwind 35 off 14 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes.
He featured in a rollicking partnership of 47 in the final three overs with Bradley Scott, 16 not out off eight balls.
Bradburn said the Knights, now with a two win/three loss record in the domestic championship, couldn't continue to rely on their tail to chase down gettable targets.
"There's a familiarity about the way we're playing our Twenty20 right now," Bradburn said today from Invercargill.
"Half of it we're doing really well, with our bowlers doing a fantastic job, but unfortunately we're not backing it up at the top of the order."
Dilshan arrives in New Zealand on Friday and will be helicoptered to Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval in time for Northern's 5pm clash with the Wellington Firebirds.
"Unfortunately, we didn't have Dilshan from the start because that's what seems to be missing at the top.
"Hopefully, he'll prove to be the piece of the jigsaw that's been missing, although on paper we've got plenty of firepower that just hasn't been firing."
Last night's win took Otago to 14 points, two ahead of Central Districts, who play bottom-placed Canterbury at Timaru today, while Auckland host Wellington at Colin Maiden Park. Northern cling onto fourth spot.
Yesterday dangerous opener Brendon McCullum's innings was cut short at 19 off 18 balls after James Marshall effected a runout of the international Twenty20 opener.
Hamish Rutherford 34, followed by a breezy 92-run third wicket stand between Neil Broom, 41 off 37 balls, and Cumming steered Otago to a respectable score.
Northern's Black Caps allrounder Daniel Vettori left the team today, heading to Sydney to play as a guest player in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash for Queensland Bulls against NSW.
He flies back tomorrow in time for Friday's game at the Bay Oval.
Bradburn feels they're not far away from matching their effort in the field with the bat.
"We're 20 runs short in every game. The average score for teams batting first in this competition is 160 and we're continually shy of that. Even in that first game at the Mount (a win over Auckland) we were 20 short of what we should have got.
"The top order need to take responsibility because in Twenty20 you'll win most games four or five wickets down, not seven, eight or nine wickets down.
"We can't continue to try and pull rabbits out of the hat down the order."
Otago
B McCullum run out 19
H Rutherford c Scott b Vettori 34
N Broom st McGlashan b Southee 41
C Cumming not out 56
N McCullum not out 5
Extras (2b, 2lb, 1w) 5
Total (for 3 wkts, 20 overs) 160
Fall: 36, 62, 154.
Bowling: B Arnel 4-0-27-0 (1w), T Southee 4-0-28-1, G Aldridge
2-0-31-0, B Scott 3-0-29-0, D Vettori 4-0-19-1, J Yovich 3-0-22-0.
Northern Districts
BJ Watling c de Boorder b Arafat 20
A Devcich c Beard b Butler 2
M Parlane run out 15
J Marshall c Cumming b McCullum 10
D Vettori c Rutherford b McCullum 18
P McGlashan c McSkimming b Beard 15
J Yovich lbw b Butler 15
G Aldridge c McCullum b McSkimming 2
T Southee not out 35
B Scott not out 16
Extras (1lb, 1w) 2
Total (for 8wkts, 20 overs) 150
Fall: 13, 35, 38, 62, 76, 83, 92, 103.
Bowling: Yasir Arafat 4-0-27-1, W McSkimming 4 -0-41-1, I Butler
4-0-35-2, N McCullum 4-0-19-2, N Beard 4-0-27-1 (1w).
Result: Otago win by 10 runs.NZPA
Dilshan to rescue Knights' top order
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