Right now, Mark Craig would have to be the best spinner in the country.
Earlier this year, he was not considered the best spinner in Otago, or at the Albion club, or even at his flat in St Clair.
It has been some turn around.
Craig was named man of the match for his haul of eight for 188 in the first test against the West Indies in Jamaica this week. It was the best return by a New Zealand bowler on debut. He also hit a six from the first ball he faced in test cricket, believed to be a world first.
Perhaps no-one was more surprised by his success than Craig himself.
"I'm just more than happy I didn't embarrass myself over here and got stuck in," he told The New Zealand Herald.
He would not have played, of course, had Jeetan Patel not declined a spot in the touring side. And when Craig was named in the squad, it would have been the first time a lot of New Zealand cricket fans had heard his name.
Craig is used to flying under the radar. Black Caps offspinner Nathan McCullum has been the undisputed king of spin in Otago for the last decade. Left-arm tweaker Nick Beard -- Craig's flatmate -- has carved out an impressive provincial record, particularly in limited-overs formats.
Both McCullum and Beard also play for Albion. So, whether at home, at the club, or playing for the province, Craig was, at best, second best.
Albion coach Tony Branks believes it was that competition which forced Craig into changing his approach.
"Initially, he bowled more like Nick does," Branks said.
"He actually bowled quite quick and darted the ball in. Over the last two years he has dropped that side of his game and has really worked on flighting it and spinning it.
"He had to do something different because he was not going to push Nathan McCullum out."
The flight, drift and bounce Craig is able to generate gives him a point of difference and it has paid off at provincial and now international level.
Ironically, it has been less successful at club level. During the national club championships in Auckland in April, Branks sat down with Craig, after his bowler had been clouted, and asked him if he would consider bowling more defensively for the remainder of the tournament.
"He said that would ruin what he has been working on," Branks said.
"Once you get to that high level, they really play in the V. But when you drop down the grades, batsmen are more prepared to whack across the line."
It seems there is a bit of Mark Richardson in reverse about Craig. He was a top-order batsman for King's College about the same time as Tim Southee was breaking all kinds of bowling records for the school.
King's won the Gillette Cup in 2004 and again in 2006. Craig played alongside former Otago and Highlanders first five-eighth Chris Noakes and New Zealand professional golfer Ryan Fox -- son of All Black great Grant Fox.
"He was more of a batsman when he played for us," former King's College First XI coach Peter Barton said.
"Tim Southee was the star and we had a very strong team. But he [Craig] has done very well and I admire what he has done. It is fantastic."
The other interesting element of Craig's story was his battle with chronic fatigue syndrome. He was picked to play in the twenty20 final against Canterbury in 2009. The game was abandoned without a ball bowled but Craig could not have played anyway.
He had been feeling listless for a long time but felt completely wiped out that day. When the game was abandoned, Craig was taken to hospital. It took five months for a diagnosis.
Craig spent seven of the next nine months in bed or on the couch. He is well these days but still tends to get sick a bit more than most people.
NEW Zealand tests
Best match figures on debut
8-188: Mark Craig (2014)
7-143: Paul Wiseman (1998)
6-92: Frank Cameron (1961)
6-105: Andre Adams (2002)
5-136: Doug Bracewell (2011)
6-155: Alex Moir (1951)
6-167: Jack Cowie (1937)
6-168: George Cresswell (1949)
