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KEY POINTS:
Here's a line you wouldn't have expected to read a week ago: Grant Elliott will be among New Zealand's most important figures in today's ODI at Adelaide Oval.
The key players when the series began were captain Dan Vettori, batsman Ross Taylor, new-ball man Kyle Mills and wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum.
Now add Elliott's name to the list, such has been the Wellington allrounder's contribution in the past two one-day matches against Australia.
A quick recap: In Melbourne last Friday night, Elliott's 61 not out off 75 balls pushed New Zealand to a six-wicket win.
Fast forward two days to the Sydney Cricket Ground, promoted to No 4 and coming in at an unpromising 16 for two with the target a further 286 runs away, Elliott played a splendid innings which took New Zealand within touching distance of what would have been a stunning win to clinch a historic first series win in Australia.
Elliott's 115 in 124 balls - New Zealand's first one-day international hundred at the SCG - was a continuation of Melbourne's composed display, with the addition of some genuine power in his boundary hitting.
Once again he displayed clever touches, lofting over the infielders into space, ensuring there was at least a single from most deliveries with deft placement.
You could sense the batsman's confidence was high; he knew what he was doing and appeared to have the calculations of runs and balls whirring in his head.
Elliott is averaging 82.75 (slightly inflated, it should be added, by several not outs) and has 11 wickets at just 15.81 with his tidy medium pacers.
But his talent for keeping a clear head and not panicking under pressure has been perhaps the most eye-catching feature.
As New Zealand's score mounted on Sunday night - and particularly once Brendon McCullum came out at No 9 and took the lash to some lackadaisical bowling - Australian captain Ricky Ponting had that queasy look again; that "how can we stuff this one up" look which brings a warm glow to New Zealand fans.
"He's come up trumps, he's played fantastically well. That was as good an innings as you'll probably see from a No 4 batsman in a tight situation," McCullum said yesterday of his batting partner from Sydney.
Captain Dan Vettori described Elliott as "a traditional-style player".
"I just think he's got a really good head on him. He understands the game, he backs himself and he hits in really good areas."
Elliott also raises an intriguing question. He began batting at No 6 and, in his 14 ODIs since, has flitted up and down the order. On Sunday he was at No 4 for the first time.
What is his best position, and how might that judgment affect others around him?
Ross Taylor is established at No 4, only moving up on Sunday due to McCullum's injury. Elliott seems good value at No 5.
The national selectors will have some tricky middle-order permutations to ponder when other leading contenders such as Scott Styris and Jacob Oram are deemed ready for reconsideration.
Styris plays only limited-overs cricket these day; Oram is talking of packing in test cricket as his battle against endless injury starts taking its toll.
With Neil Broom also offering encouraging signs, there will be genuine competition for spots when India arrive later this month.
Interesting times indeed.
