Our boy Bazz cracked a marvellous undefeated century in his hometown yesterday, bringing a three-year three-figure drought to an end.
Brendon ''Bazz'' McCullum, the New Zealand captain, shook off a chronic back injury and a run of bad form to blast 109 not out on day one of the first test against the West Indies at the University Oval in Dunedin.
It was McCullum's first hundred since scoring 225 against India at Hyderabad in November 2010.
McCullum yesterday shared the limelight with batting partner Ross Taylor, who scored a fabulous undefeated 103.
The pair combined in a stand of 182 from just 231 deliveries to help the Black Caps reach a commanding 367 for three at stumps.
But the day belonged to McCullum.
The skipper was under enormous pressure to score runs and had admitted to having some ''dark thoughts'' about his playing future when he returned home early from the tour of Bangladesh in October with a recurrence of a back injury.
But he put any niggling doubts behind him to play the kind of trademark innings we have all come to expect.
He swivelled into pull shots, drove through the covers and used his feet to hit down the ground.
He shredded the West Indies flailing attack, and for the 1000 or so fans who witnessed it live it was, well, magic.
Earlier, opening batsmen Hamish Rutherford (62) and Peter Fulton (61) got New Zealand off to a grand start, sharing a 95-run partnership.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said it had been an excellent first day and there had been no hiccups.
The crowd numbers pleased Dykes, who hoped more people would attend today, as New Zealand looks to press home its advantage.
Officials from the 2015 Cricket World Cup spent much of the day inspecting facilities around the ground, which will host three World Cup matches.
- Additional reporting: Steve Hepburn
