Corey Anderson was closing in on a maiden test century at lunch on the third day of the second test against Bangladesh in Dhaka tonight.
Ever since making his first-class debut for Canterbury at 16, there have been high hopes for the big-hitting allrounder.
Often he's flattered to deceive. Injuries haven't helped. But in time this innings might come to be seen as a turning point in his development from promising to genuine test player.
By lunch New Zealand were 231 for four, with Anderson on 75 and the patient Kane Williamson 56, the pair having added 104 for the fifth wicket.
The morning session had produced 127 runs for the loss of only Ross Taylor's wicket.
Taylor, having completed his half century, pushed forward to Bangladesh's only wicket taker to that point, Shakib al-Hasan. The ball took the edge and he was caught at slip.
You couldn't accuse Anderson of going after the bowling from the start.
He was prepared to bide his time, another sign of getting the hang of test batting.
Anderson had made just three from his first 30 balls. But once he got the measure of the pitch, and the bowling, he was away.
His ability to clobber a long ball has never been in doubt.
Al-Hasan was dispatched over mid wicket and he drove strongly. His 50 came up in 72 balls.
Williamson knuckled down and had his 10th half century, to sit alongside four hundreds.
It's been a good series for the No 3 batsman, after his 114, 74 double in the drawn first test at Chittagong.
If Anderson can build on his innings, he'll give New Zealand's selectors food for thought.
They tried Auckland lefthander Colin Munro for a test in South Africa early in the year as they looked for a player who could offer productivity with the bat and ball.
In this test - as at Chittagong - he's been picked for his batting, plus his ability to do a fifth bowler role.
Still only 22, Anderson seems to have been around a long time.
Since his debut with Canterbury seven seasons ago, Anderson has moved to Northern Districts, in the 2011-12 season.
And if occasionally there were question marks whether he would finally make the grade, or whether limited-overs cricket was his natural metier, he has at least shown in Dhaka he can do a job at test level.
Now all he needs is more from his bowling to raise the prospect of developing into an allround achiever.
Bangladesh battled for success through the morning session. There was a shortage of cutting edge to their work with the ball, save al-Hasan. He is the world's No 1-ranked allrounder and a key figure for his country. He had taken four for 65 off 24 overs at the interval.
Lively Rubel Hossain was able to hurry the batsmen - Williamson muscling a hook over the wicketkeeper - but luck was not with him, or his team.
- By David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald
