The Blackcaps have waltzed to victory in the series-opening one-day international against the Netherlands, winning by seven wickets with more than 12 overs to spare at Mt Maunganui.
Facing the Dutch in an ODI for the first time since the 1996 World Cup, the Blackcaps outclassed their opponents in all three departments, bowling the tourists out for 202, before completing a relatively untroubled run chase at Bay Oval.
Debutant Blair Tickner led the way with the ball, before Will Young's maiden century in any format for the Blackcaps (103 not out) and a half-century to Henry Nicholls contributed the bulk of New Zealand's response.
Young's innings was just reward for the 29-year-old in just his third ODI, playing in place of captain Kane Williamson, who was on duty in the Indian Premier League.
Young had passed 50 five times in test cricket and once in Twenty20 internationals - all without pressing on to a century.
Even in a losing cause, the Netherlands could take heart in the performance of Otago all-rounder Michael Rippon, who top-scored for his side with 67, as well as taking 2/32 from eight overs with the ball.
The win gives the Blackcaps a 1-0 series lead with two matches still to play, both at Hamilton's Seddon Park on Saturday and Monday respectively.
Losing the toss and asked to bowl first, the NZ bowling attack quickly got stuck into the associate nation, reducing them to 45/5 inside the opening half of their innings.
Making the most of a rare one-day opportunity, Kyle Jamieson (3/45) struck with the ball in his second over, as Auckland-born Dutch opener Max O'Dowd was caught behind by Tom Latham, attempting to hook.
Less than three overs later, Matt Henry (1/31) joined the action and took his 99th ODI wicket, when Stephan Myburgh was caught at gully by Martin Guptill at 17/2.
Netherlands debutant Vikramjit Singh briefly impressed, striking four boundaries inside the powerplay, but the 19-year-old fell playing one shot too many, out ramping Tickner to third man, where Ish Sodhi completed the catch.
Wicketkeeper Scott Edwards added just a single, before he became the fourth Dutch batter to fall, chipping a simple return catch to Colin de Grandhomme (1/10). When Bas de Leede also fell trying to ramp Tickner to third man, the Netherlands had lost half their side before drinks at 5/45.
Captain Pieter Seelaar and Rippon began rebuilding the innings, and added 80 runs in 132 balls for the sixth wicket to at the very least take the Netherlands' total past 100.
But in sight of a maiden half-century, Seelaar became Tickner's third wicket, caught down legside by Latham for 43 at 126/6.
Rippon took 81 balls to reach fifty for the second time in ODIs, carrying the burden of helping the Netherlands to any kind of credible first innings total.
At the other end, Rippon was running out of partners. Wellington all-rounder Logan van Beek scored a brisk 14 from 14 balls, before finding Young at mid-off for Tickner's fourth wicket.
Rippon added a handy 29 runs for the eighth wicket with Philippe Boissevain, who gace Michael Bracewell (1/22) his first wicket on international debut, caught and bowled for 15.
No.10 Fred Klaassen departed trying to clear long-on, giving Jamieson a second wicket, giving Tickner six balls to become the first New Zealander to take a five-wicket haul on debut.
But No.11 Brandon Glover survived and allowed Rippon to hunt quick runs in the last over, bowled by Jamieson. After taking the total past 200, Rippon was the final man out, holing out to deep midwicket for 67.
Chasing 204, the Blackcaps lost Guptill early, edging van Beek through to Edwards for just two and bringing Young to the crease to join Nicholls.
From there, the two added 162 runs for New Zealand's second wicket and both passed their respective half-centuries.
Young was the first to raise his bat, reaching his first 50 in 54 balls, with five fours and two sixes, while Nicholls was more circumspect, taking 65 balls, with three boundaries and one six.
Nicholls fell at 171/2, misreading a Rippon wrong-un to lose his off-stump, heralding Ross Taylor to the crease in his farewell ODI series.
Taylor couldn't see the Blackcaps home nor Young to his maiden century, bowled for 11 by a beauty from Rippon that took out middle stump.
Captain Tom Latham (eight not out) arrived at the crease to finish the job, with the only worry being whether Young could reach his hundred.
With three needed for victory and one needed to reach a century, Young killed two birds with one stone, using his feet to clear mid-off, notching his first international hundred from 114 balls, with eight fours and three sixes.
The win gives New Zealand 10 further points in the ICC's ODI Super League, which will determine the qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup in India.
The Blackcaps now sit 10th on the table, albeit with four games played and needing to finish in the top eight for automatic qualification.
The series now heads to Hamilton's Seddon Park for the second and third ODIs, the final matches of New Zealand's home summer, giving Taylor the chance to say goodbye to international cricket on his home ground.
Netherlands 202 all out (Rippon 67, Tickner 4/50, Jamieson 3/45) New Zealand 204/3 (Young 103 not out, Nicholls 57, Rippon 2/32)
New Zealand win by seven wickets
Join us on Saturday for live updates of the second Blackcaps v Netherlands ODI
