Blackcaps selectors will have another headache around the opening batsman's position heading into their test tour of England, with Will Young posting a century for county side Durham.
With incumbent opener Tom Blundell's spot under pressure from the outstanding Devon Conway after his breakout summer, speculation abounds as to who will partner Tom Latham by the time New Zealand's first test against England rolls around at Lord's in June.
But Young has thrown his name right into the mix, passing three figures for the first time in his stint as an overseas player for Durham.
Opening the batting after Durham bowled opponents Wawrickshire out for 87, Young stroked his way to an elegant 124 runs from 274 balls, hitting 14 boundaries and a solitary six.
After passing three figures, Young was dismissed lbw by Liam Norwell, having added an opening stand of 208 with Alex Lees - who finished the day unbeaten with 126.
Durham closed out day two at Chester-le-Street at 287/4, 200 runs ahead heading into day three.
Young is playing a short stint with Durham as one of two overseas players, deputising for Australian Cameron Bancroft. The Blackcaps batsman is expected to finish his county stint after this current match, having only signed a short-term deal.
His innings will only add to the Blackcaps' headache though - having come against the Dukes ball, in English conditions.
While Blundell hasn't put a foot wrong since being asked to open the batting on the ill-fated tour of Australia in 2019, the form of Conway in particular could prove too hard for selectors to ignore.
To his credit though, Blundell finished the domestic Plunket Shield season with back-to-back centuries for Wellington.
Conway is coming off a dominant home summer that saw him named as New Zealand's one day international and Twenty20 international player of the year.
The elegant left-hander hit 225 runs at an average of 75 in his three ODIs played, with a high score of 126, as well as 473 runs at an average of 59.12 in 14 T20s - with a best of 99 not out against Australia.
In first-class stints with Wellington in New Zealand, and with South African provincial sides the Dolphins and the Lions, Conway has compiled more than 7000 first-class runs at an average of 47.21, including a triple century of 327 not out against Canterbury in October 2019.
All three players have been named as part of New Zealand's 20-strong squad to tour England in June, with two tests against their hosts before the World Test Championship final against India on June 18.
