For the first few days of Michael Rae's first-class debut, he ''couldn't really believe'' he was playing for the Volts.
''It felt pretty surreal, honestly,'' he said.
Rae (19) made his debut in Otago's 27-run Plunket Shield loss to Northern Districts at the University Oval last week.
The 2m-tall seamer had to wait only 13 overs for captain Aaron Redmond to throw him the ball for a ''nervous'' first spell on the first day.
Rae finished with one wicket for 73 runs from his 20 overs in the first innings and none for 32 from seven overs in the second innings.
His maiden first-class wicket was Joe Carter, who chopped a delivery on to his stumps.
''Bowling first definitely helped a lot, Rae said.
''Instead of having to wait for a day and a-half to do something, it was good.''
It has been a rapid rise to first-class cricket for Rae, who finished secondary school at John McGlashan College only a year ago.
After playing for his school's first XI for five years, he joined the North East Valley Cricket Club for the second half of last season, and has taken 12 wickets for the club's senior side so far this year.
Now studying at the University of Otago, Rae said the step up to first-class cricket was big.
''It's a total different standard of cricket. I think I bowled four loose balls that I got away with, and every other one went for runs or to the fence. It's a rather steep learning curve, but I really enjoyed it.''
The strapping right-armer, who went to Kaikorai Primary School, started playing cricket when he was about 10 and has had ambitions of playing cricket for a living since.
Training alongside Black Caps bowler Neil Wagner and veteran Bradley Scott in the Volts' environment has been more than helpful, Rae said.
''Just picking their brain and bowling with them, talking about plans to each batsman. It's just helping my cricket every time I train with them.''
Rae, who has been included in the squad for Otago's third Plunket Shield match against Canterbury starting tomorrow, has plenty of cricket ahead of him.
At the end of the season, he will leave the New Zealand winter behind to play for the Tewkesbury Cricket Club, in Gloucestershire, England, before returning to Dunedin next summer.
''Just playing over there in different conditions, I think it's going to help me develop as a cricketer a lot more.
''Obviously the decks will be a bit slower, but the Duke ball will swing a lot more. I think that will be a real asset to bring back, if I can control the swing and develop it to go both ways,'' he said.
Skipping the Dunedin winter will mean Rae will not play football for the first time in 14 years. He has played for Roslyn-Wakari since he was 5, and was the premier team's goalkeeper last season.
However, with a future in cricket on his mind, ''it was a no-brainer''.
''I think at 19, I can pretty much go where I want to with cricket, providing I keep my training and nutrition up. I just have to keep improving every day.''
