KEY POINTS:
Jamie How buried two misconceptions with his thrilling century in New Zealand's tied ODI against England in Napier on Wednesday.
Those wondering if he was up to the challenge of international cricket were given an emphatic response through his 139, and those who questioned whether he could lift his strike rate got their answers - 116 balls, 10 fours and three sixes.
Some numbers:
* How's innings was the sixth highest ODI score by a New Zealander. Only Lou Vincent, Glenn Turner (twice), Nathan Astle and Scott Styris have made more.
* It was the best individual effort by a New Zealander against England, eclipsing Astle's 122 not out at Dunedin six years ago.
* It was the first ODI hundred by a New Zealand batsman since Styris hit 111 not out against Sri Lanka in Grenada last April, a gap of 15 matches.
* It lifted his ODI average in 19 games to an impressive 43.37 and he joined the four other middle-order batsmen - Styris, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton and Jacob Oram - in having recorded an ODI ton.
Not that he needed it to feel he belonged.
"I've always felt part of the team, but to score runs like that gives you that extra confidence," How said yesterday. "My aspirations are to play test cricket as well [he's played six but none since December 2006] and the only way of doing that is putting big scores on the board."
How, 26, feels that his scoring rate in domestic one-day and Twenty20 for Central Districts is brisk enough, but believes the anchor role is made for him.
"I see my role in the team as batting as long as possible," he said. "You do have to take some deliveries to get in and hopefully you catch up later.
"But there are occasions when you're chasing such a huge total that you really have to look to score from the start."
He admitted the innings had gone by in a blur but in time he'll be able to reflect on one of the outstanding efforts in New Zealand's 35-year ODI history, and one which could be the making of him.
