Grant Elliott has finally spent substantial time batting in a cricket test, and now he anticipates a greater bowling workload as New Zealand look to protect a 1-0 series lead against Pakistan here at the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand's first test victory in Dunedin was a watershed moment for the 30-year-old, and although he did not acknowledge it at the time, there was a ripple of applause around University Oval when he recorded double figures for the first time in his four-test career last Friday.
An automatic choice in the one-day side since debuting against England in June last year, the Johannesburg-born, Wellington-based Elliott has rarely failed in the limited overs format.
In 28 one-dayers he has a batting average of 45.37, a century, three 50s and 17 wickets at 22.11.
The allrounder's test numbers are an unspectacular contrast -- two wickets at 66 and a top score of just nine until his dogged 25 from 101 balls in New Zealand's second innings in Dunedin.
"Twenty five isn't really runs in my book but given my test record it actually is quite significant," said Elliott, who owes the test component of his late-blooming career to Jacob Oram's injuries then retirement.
"I walked off and thought maybe those 25 runs is going to be quite important."
As it turned out Pakistan lost by 32 runs, so his 164 minutes of resistance were valuable.
"I had to stick around and it just makes you realise test cricket is very tough," he said today.
"It's a mental challenge, though if you can stay relaxed at the crease you've got a good chance of succeeding."
Elliott was also assisted by the new umpire decision review system on 12 when replays confirmed he was out leg before wicket until third umpire Rudi Koertzen noticed Mohammad Asif's delivery was a no-ball.
He was not as fortunate will ball in hand last Saturday. In his first over he dropped a return catch from Shoaib Malik and was dispatched to the outfield just one over later.
Elliott had not been expected to bowl his medium pacers because of a niggling knee injury but he will be expected to trundle in through the pain barrier -- and into the wind -- when the second test starts here on Thursday.
New Zealand's risky policy of using just four specialist bowlers paid off last weekend, although the workloads shared by Shane Bond, Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien means the trio will have to be monitored carefully at training.
Captain Daniel Vettori has also been hampered by a chronic shoulder injury.
So Elliott, despite diagnosing himself with "kneemonia," said he was anxious to bowl more than a couple of overs in the fill-in role previously covered by Oram and the injured Jesse Ryder.
"I've been battling with tendinitis a bit but if I get the inflammation down hopefully I can take a load off the bowlers.
"It hurts me not to be able to do that. You saw how hard the bowlers toiled (in Dunedin)."
Bond, O'Brien and Martin were obviously unsighted at an optional training session at Westpac Stadium's indoor facility today after rain prevented a net at the Basin Reserve.
O'Brien has had an X-ray on the finger he dislocated while bowling on Sunday. There is no break but it remains swollen, so the he is not yet assured of backing up on his home ground.
Pakistan also trained indoors and will be joined tomorrow by middle order batsman and specialist slips fielder Misbah-ul-Haq, who was sleeping off jetlag after arriving today.
Ul-Haq will replace Imran Farhat at first slip after the opener dropped four catches in Dunedin and put together scores of 22 and one.
Farhat may retain his place at the top or the order as fellow opener Khurram Manzoor or Fawad Alam might make way to accommodate the new arrival.
Manzoor made just six and four runs in Dunedin, and Alam 29 and five at first drop.
Opener Salman Butt might also be in line to restart his 22-test career.
NZPA