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Until Friday night's heroics Grant Elliott could have been forgiven for thinking he was destined to become a footnote in New Zealand cricketing history.
A muddled performance in Perth, where his eight took 35 agonising balls, has followed his stuttering start to test cricket and despite some handy one-day contributions he was famous for one thing only: being the guy pole-axed by Ryan Sidebottom on the way to one of cricket's most controversial run out decisions.
That incident, where England captain Paul Collingwood insisted the run out should stand despite the accidental collision, galvanised his teammates that day but there is no doubt he would have been a lot prouder of the galvanising effect his batting had on Friday's second Chappell-Hadlee one-day international.
Far from letting the MCG's intimidatory presence get to him after coming to the crease with New Zealand at a tricky 104-3 in the 29th over, Elliott revelled in the pressure, scoring a heady unbeaten 61 (75 balls, six fours) and guiding his side to 226-4 and a two-nil series lead.
"I felt a little bit of pressure coming in at no 5," said Elliott. "I haven't done that role ... but hopefully that innings gives me a blueprint for the future."
The South African-born 29-year-old has fully immersed himself into New Zealand life and nowhere does he feel more "Kiwi" than in the dressing sheds after a game like Friday's.
"Every innings I play for New Zealand is one that I cherish," he said. "There is a lot of patriotism you feel when you see your teammates' faces and see how proud they feel."
The slight-looking Elliott will never overpower international opposition, more than 70 per cent of his runs were scored behind square, but he is a "gamer" who has a happy knack of playing the right innings for the situation. During his 72-run, 80-ball partnership with Ross Taylor, Elliott took it upon himself to push the scoring along, with Taylor set to bat through the innings. When Taylor perished for 47, Elliott settled in for the finish, content to let the impressive Neil Broom play the aggressor in their 50-run partnership.
It was intoxicating stuff from a pair that had a mere 17 games between them.
"The wicket wasn't outstanding so 226 was still going to be a challenge and we knew Australia was going to come at us hard," Vettori said of the chase that ended when Elliott pulled Ben Hilfenhaus for four with seven balls to spare.
"I was really pleased with the maturity of Brendon McCullum (43) and Ross Taylor to get us to a certain point and then Grant Elliott and Neil Broom... they looked so composed and so mature and they led us to a comfortable victory in the end. I'm so pleased for them because when you get in those situations you want to nail them and it's probably the first time for both of them. That will be the most pleasing factor for them both."
While a previously underwhelmed public might have been surprised by Elliott's emergence, Vettori wouldn't have been. In his first ODI innings, Elliott clawed 56 from 102 balls on a poor wicket at Bristol, helping set England a total they wouldn't manage. He was batting well at The Oval before the infamous run out and contributed a cameo 23 not out from 17 balls in the next ODI at Lord's. Since then he's barely had a bat but he has found his place under pressure and probably would struggle to make the eleven if any of Jacob Oram, Scott Styris or Jesse Ryder were fit.
Broom, on the other hand, looks set for a long tenure in the one-day side and the 25-year-old is a genuine middle order candidate for the longer forms too.
"The big thing with Neil is get him to play his natural game," Vettori said. "When he starts thinking about things he gets a bit cluttered. He just needs to be a natural player, that's what we've reinforced to him."
The significance of Brendon McCullum and Taylor's knocks should not be downplayed either, said Vettori. McCullum struggled mightily on his way to 43, scored in a most un-McCullum like 75 balls.
The wicketkeeper and the middle of his bat are in the midst of a messy separation, though it is hoped a reconciliation will not be too far down the path. Armed with just a thick edge and 145 games worth of experience, McCullum ensured New Zealand would have a platform from which to launch their chase.
Taylor's innings might have ended badly, a wild heave in the first over of the batting powerplay but his 74-ball knock was a continuation of some staggering form.
Since the end of the one-day series in England during which he disappointed, Taylor has accumulated 556 runs at an average of 79.43. The first ODI in Bangladesh, which New Zealand lost horribly, was the last time he failed to reach double figures.
"For him to step up again and in the style he's doing it is outstanding," Vettori said. "He has a really good feel for the match situation and what needs to be done. He's directing the other batsmen as well. He directed Grant today and then Grant took over."Took over - and banished any lingering doubt about whether he could transfer his skills to the big stage.
