Centurion Cam Green credits a quick trip to Tasmania for his Test heroics, taking his Sheffield Shield form into the international arena.
Green rescued Australia after a wobble either side of lunch when Pat Cummins' side lost four wickets for 28 runs to sit uncomfortably at 4-89.
After weathering the storm of a green Wellington pitch, striking his first 50 in 108 balls, Green then exploded, hitting his second half-century at better than a run-a-ball to finish with an unbeaten 103.
The exclamation point came in the last over when he thrashed Will O'Rourke for three boundaries to ensure he ended the day with a century under his belt, rather than giving himself a restless night in the nervous 90s.
Not bad for someone who doesn't specialise in the shortest form of the game.
"I just tried to find something out there," he said.
"I didn't really feel I had the ebb and flow ... it was quite tough when I went out there and even on a flat wicket I still take time to get in."
The century came at a sweet moment for Green, who scored a maiden ton in India in March last year but hadn't reached a half-century in 11 innings since.
The 24-year-old allrounder enjoyed decent form in Australia's one-day international series with West Indies, but knew he needed more time in the middle to improve his red-ball form.
Putting his hand up for Sheffield Shield duties last week, Green played with Western Australia at Bellerive Oval, scoring a game-saving second innings century alongside former Test player Cameron Bancroft.
"It was really important," he said.
I probably struggled to have the red-ball practice leading in, it's been always one or two net sessions and then thrown into the deep.
"That's what international cricket is like at the moment ... so it's always nice to spend some time out in the middle before a Test series."
Green will have the chance to better his best Test score of 114 when Australia resumes on Friday at 9-279.
