Northern Districts' start to their Ford Trophy campaign has yet to get into gear with a second straight loss in the 50-over competition yesterday, to Otago.

They went into the game at Hamilton's Seddon Park with the services of current Blackcaps Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, but it was Otago's former internationals Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom who stole the show.

Rutherford's century and Broom's 50, both undefeated, took the game away from the home side which had slumped to the inadequate total of 179 all out in the 45th over after being asked to bat first.

It was a bruising defeat for Northern Districts as Otago have been the regular battlers in the Ford Trophy in recent seasons, and before yesterday hadn't won a game in seven attempts going back to December.

Daryl Mitchell, as he did against Auckland in the opening match, was ND's only top order batsman to put solid runs on the board.

His 76 off 109 balls, including six fours and two sixes, saved his side from humiliation after they lost Daniel Flynn, Henry Cooper, Anton Devcich and Nick Kelly all inside the first 10 overs to be 36 for four.

Bay of Plenty's Brett Hampton was next best contributor with 33.

A rain delay after 17 overs didn't help ND build momentum in their innings but at 73 for five they were already facing a recovery job. Mitchell and Hampton looked to be making a good fist of it with a partnership of 75, but once the big Bay all-rounder top-edged an attempted pull shot to mid-off the wicket procession continued.

They will be disappointed at failing to bat out their full 50 overs for the second match in a row.

Otago barely broke into a sweat in reaching their target of 180 four balls into the 38th over, losing just one wicket along the way.

Broom joined Rutherford with their total at 46, and the pair resisted everything ND's celebrated Blackcaps opening bowling pair could throw at them to put on an unbeaten partnership of 134 and take their side to a nine-wicket win.

ND are now the only team of the six yet to take a Ford Trophy win, and travel to Nelson's Saxton Oval for their next attempt to get off the mark Wednesday against the Central Stags, a team which were good enough to beat Otago at the same ground a week ago.

Ford Trophy round two, Seddon Park, Hamilton:

Northern Districts 179 in 44.4 ov (Mitchell 76, Hampton 33; Jacob Duffy 4/29) beaten by Otago Volts 180/1 in 37.4 ov (Rutherford 102no, Broom 50no; Wagner 1/39)