Google his name and the story about the six sixes he swatted in a T20 for Canterbury against Northern Districts nearly five years ago is one of the top results.
But after a decade of grinding away for Canterbury the 29-year-old left-hander felt he needed a fresh start.
"I suppose I was really excited about the challenge and project down here at Otago and I thought it was somewhere where I could bring out the best in myself and try and, you know, sort of reach my potential as a player," Carter said.
"From an output point of view, it'd be nice to score a few more runs more consistently, as well as to perhaps play a slightly bigger role on a team too. You know, being more of a focal point.
"At Canterbury, there's just a lot of very good players.
"When you're in a team like that, sometimes you don't get too much of an opportunity or it's hard to find those opportunities."
Guys like Chad Bowes and Henry Nicholls kept scoring all the runs at the top of the Canterbury order and Bowes was at it again recently when he clubbed the fastest list A double century in a phenomenal innings against Otago at Hagley Oval last week.
"It wasn't quite the homecoming that I was wanting, obviously. But the team performance, yeah, wasn't great."
Otago lost by a record 240 runs — the heaviest runs defeat in the history of the competition. That performance was sandwiched between a massive win against Northern Districts in Whangarei and a competitive loss to Auckland in Tauranga.
Carter’s form has mirrored the Volts’ fortunes. He scored a valuable 53 in the opener against Northern Districts and added 62 against Auckland.
But he had only a brief stay at the crease against Canterbury. He was trapped lbw by a delivery which nipped back and kept low.
Carter’s fiancee, Ye Yang, was in the crowd for that game. She lives in Christchurch and Carter is flatting with Otago captain Luke Georgeson out at St Clair.
Carter’s father, Bob Carter, played cricket for both Canterbury and Northamptonshire and is a former White Ferns coach.
"He’s been a big influence. He's been pretty great and, you know, someone I can really lean on and who I trust."
Carter described his promising start to his Otago career as "all right".
"I would have preferred to put together two match-winning knocks and sort of put myself in that position.
"Hopefully, next time I can make the most of it and make a really big score that helps Otago win."
That opportunity will come today. The Volts are hosting Central Districts in what is their first home game of the season.
The Stags have lost their first two matches and their match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve on Saturday was abandoned, so they find themselves at the bottom of the competition standings.
Otago are one spot higher in fifth place.
But while the Stags have made a slow start, they boast a dangerous lineup. Brad Schmulian already has a century to his name this season and the duo of Dane Cleaver and Tom Bruce are threatening with the bat.
They have a very decent bowling unit as well, featuring the likes of Blair Tickner and Brett Randell.
"We just need to play good cricket a bit more consistently," Carter said.
"We were in the fight for a long period against Auckland but just slightly off our best. And that's all it takes when it's so competitive to lose."
Otago have made one change. Seamer Jarrod McKay replaces Travis Muller in the 12.
Ford Trophy
The teams
Otago: Thorn Parkes, Dale Phillips, Llew Johnson, Dean Foxcroft, Leo Carter, Luke Georgeson (captain) Max Chu, Ben Lockrose , Andrew Hazeldine, Matt Bacon, Jarrod McKay, Jake Gibson.
Central Districts: Brad Schmulian, Curtis Heaphy, Jack Boyle, Dane Cleaver, Ton Bruce, Josh Clarkson, Will Clark, Brett Randell, Blair Tickner, Jayden Lennox, Ray Toole, Angus Schaw.
