"We have a clean sheet tomorrow morning [all wickets intact] and we're excited but we aren't getting carried away," said the former Black Cap after the Southerners won the toss and padded up on a traditionally batting paradise.
Despite the stiff northwesterlies, the CD bowlers took turns rolling up their sleeves for the collective to frustrate Otago batsmen.
Black Cap seamer Doug Bracewell took 3-64 from 18 overs, including five maidens. He took the top three batsmen, including cousin Michael Bracewell who top-scored at No3 with a patient 51 runs from 117 balls.
But it was new-ball partner Ben Wheeler who prevailed in the frugality stakes with 2-25 from 15 overs, including six maidens.
First-change merchants Seth Rance (2-33) and England county-bound Kieran Noema-Barnett (1-42) then chimed in to keep asking the batsmen questions.
Otago No6 Sam Wells added 30 runs but it was No8 Mark Craig who hung around for 84 balls to make 50 runs before Aja Patel trapped him lbw.
Spinner Patel finished with 2-41 from 11 overs.
"Dougie, Barney, Ajaz and Wheels all did a really good job, contributing in different patches."
Asked about his glove work after batsmen feathered deliveries, a jovial Van Wyk replied: "I'll buy the bowlers a Coke for getting those nicks."
Ryder's wicket was a biggy, considering the former Black Cap batsmen has gone after CD bowlers in the past few seasons to carve up memorable victories for the opposition.
"We know what a fine player Jesse is and how he's capable of scoring big runs so we're glad to get him out," Van Wyk said of the former Bay allrounder who some believe is desperately needed to ignite the batting line-up of the Mike Hesson-coached New Zealand team.
Rain is likely to come to the rescue of the visitors in the next two days, something Van Wyk said was out of their hands.
