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Grant Elliott's year-old international career has been accompanied by a question mark over whether he had the qualities to make the grade.
The South African-born Wellington allrounder gave a fine riposte to the doubters with his memorable unbeaten 61 steering New Zealand to a six-wicket win at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It was his finest hour in black, and whatever else follows he'll always have Melbourne to file in his memory.
But press the 29-year-old on the personal significance of Friday night and he'll defer to his first New Zealand experience, when called into the ODI squad in England last year.
In his debut innings for New Zealand at Bristol, with England 1-0 up in the series and three games left, Elliott went in at 42 for four, hit a composed 56, then took a couple of cheap wickets as New Zealand won by 20 runs. They won the next two as well.
That was special for the man who left South Africa in 2001 looking for a fresh start in cricket and life.
"England was probably more of a turning point for me," he said.
"I haven't felt patriotism like that since the 1995 rugby World Cup [won by his homeland].
"I felt a real love for my country and I found that love again when we won the series at Lord's."
His test career hasn't fired, and his three matches have been disappointing. It could be that the ODI game - Sydney last night was his 14th - proves to be his forte.
He strode on to the MCG at 104 for three, chasing Australia's 225 for five. Unfussed and tidy rather than extravagant in his shotmaking, he added 74 with Ross Taylor then a boisterous 50 with Neil Broom as the pair raced to the win.
Elliott clubbed the winning four, then grabbed a stump as a keepsake for a remarkable innings.
"It's been a great journey so far over the last six months and Melbourne made everything worthwhile. It all came together," he said.
He admitted to getting a feeling of permanency within the New Zealand ODI team. That's not being big-headed, more an indicator that these are changing times in the national side. Injuries to senior players and the arrival of younger men mean Australia are not the only side in this Chappell Hadlee series going through transition.
Elliott's cool-headed approach is a solid counterpoint to the more explosive batsmen around him, like Brendon McCullum, Taylor and Broom. He prides himself on handling tight situations with a clear mind.
"You have to in the middle order because the game can change dramatically. You can go in needing eight an over or to steady the ship to a point where you can only lose it.
"There are a lot of different ways you can play it and you have to be calm under pressure. Now I feel I have a senior role to play."
He is smart enough to avoid any complacency. With Jacob Oram and Scott Styris aiming to return shortly from injury layoffs, competition will heat up. But Elliott is not planning on surrendering his place any time soon.
