Fresh from his maiden century in Blackcaps colours, Will Young is happy to finally convert a 50-plus score into three figures for his country.
With New Zealand missing 12 frontline players to the Indian Premier League for the three-match one day series against the Netherlands, Young finds himself filling the boots of captain Kane Williamson in the batting order.
Batting at No.3 in the series-opener, Young played an innings Williamson would have been proud to call his own, scoring 103 not out, as the Blackcaps chased down 203 runs to win by seven wickets at Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval.
The innings was Young's first international century from 20 matches and 24 innings in all forms of the game, after struggling to convert five test half-centuries and one in T20 format.
Now that monkey's finally off his back, Young can reflect with pride on his achievement.
"Obviously, it was my first hundred with the fern on my chest, so I'm incredibly proud," he says. "I've had some opportunities over the three formats and to get the hundred today is icing on the cake.
"I'm really happy."
With such a large contingent unavailable for selection, Young is now among the senior players in the current side, despite just three ODIs since his debut last year.
But his newfound status saw Young present debutant and Central Districts teammate Blair Tickner with his ODI cap, an honour usually reserved for leaders within the Blackcaps hierarchy.
"That was a really special moment," Young adds. "Ever since Ticks has come back to Hawke's Bay from Australia, he's toiled away for the Stags.
"He's had opportunities in T20 cricket for the Blackcaps and he's done really well there. To get his ODI debut and not too far from home, as his dad and fiancee came to watch, and for all the family scattered around the country watching him, I'm sure it was a really proud moment.
"To give him his hat was a cool way to celebrate that, as we're good mates."
Like Young, Tickner, 28, seized an opportunity he might not have received, had the Blackcaps stars been available.
From a complete 10-over spell, Tickner took figures of 4/50 - fourth best for a Blackcaps debutant - and although he fell one wicket of claiming outright first, his efforts were still reason to celebrate an outstanding start to his ODI career.
"For Ticks to come on first change, as he's done domestically so many times before, to come on and bowl quick and force the issue, it was awesome to see him get two wickets in his first spell and the wickets kept coming.
"He had a real crack for the five-for on debut, which would have been special, but the Netherlands tail hung in there.
"He's over the moon with his four wickets."
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