Cricket: Colin de Grandhomme secures spot in Black Caps after win over West Indies

Colin de Grandhomme must feel more like part of the test furniture after his rollicking century in the win over the West Indies at the Basin Reserve.

His 71-ball century came playing a way that he does most times he's in the middle. Some days it works better than others.

His captain, Kane Williamson, acknowledged there could be a solid spinoff in terms of self-assurance for the clean-hitting allrounder, which can only be to the New Zealand team's benefit.

''When guys experience taking their game further… I think it will create a lot more confidence in his approach,'' he said.

''He does keep things simple and plays a similar way every time he goes out to bat.''
De Grandhomme is part of a No 6-7-8 axis which is becoming more important in test cricket.

You look at England with their Ben Stokes (before his suspension), Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali triumvirate; or India with their 7-8-9 threesome of Ravi Ashwin (test average 31.55), Wriddiman Saha (31.8) and Ravi Jadeja (29.17). It is having an increasingly significant part in a test innings.

Mitchell Santner and, either, BJ Watling or the new keeper Tom Blundell, and de Grandhomme is shaping as New Zealand's equivalent.

''We've seen a number of contributions from Colin in that role, always in a positive fashion, whether it be 30, 40s or 50s,'' Williamson added. ''The challenge for any batter is to go on and make a big contribution.''

Certainly when de Grandhomme came out in New Zealand's innings, with the score at 272 for five; he departed at 429 for seven, having squashed any West Indies hopes of nipping through the middle-lower order, scoring 105 of 157 while he was at the crease.

He's averaging 34.55 with the bat from his seven tests and another couple of wickets at the Basin took him to 18 at a tidy 25.66.

It looks like the 31-year-old has a busy summer ahead, with a pile of short form internationals, plus three more tests against the West Indies and England at the end of the summer. A far cry from how his cricket future must have looked two years ago.

He'd had a taste of the international short form game in 2012 followed by four barren years. Now this. Funny old game.