De Grandhomme banks on batting to seal a spot

Colin de Grandhomme is a player easy to like and root for - at 30, the moustachioed medium-paced allrounder, originally from Zimbabwe, unexpectedly broke into the New Zealand Test side and took a six-for on debut, against Pakistan.

He can also hit big sixes - a popular skill to have these days - and is known to be a player who lets his actions speak for him, a quality New Zealanders appreciate.

After taking nine wickets in two Tests against Pakistan, de Grandhomme had a quiet time in the Chappell-Hadlee series - taking only one wicket in three matches - and was dropped for the ODIs against Bangladesh. When he was picked for the T20Is, he responded with an unbeaten 22-ball 41 (three fours and three sixes) in the first game in Napier. He bowled steadily too and always offered safety as a fielder.

De Grandhomme says his role doesn't really change through the formats, especially with the bat.

"I think I am a better batter than I am shown probably," he told ESPNcricinfo. "So hopefully I get better and it gives me a better chance of playing most of the time. I still play my same game, just watch the ball as well as I can."

So far however, it has been the Test team in which de Grandhomme has looked most comfortable. He said that in his performance on debut in Christchurch he simply took the opportunities presented to him in a bowling attack that includes Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

"I was just trying to put in the right areas. When you are bowling with people like Trent Boult and Tim Southee, you're not the one expected to get the wickets. You expect them and you just hold one end up.

"[The first wicket was an] awesome feeling, to see the stump coming out of the ground obviously made it look a lot better. And against a good player [Azhar Ali]. Completing the [five-for] was awesome, unreal.

"[Boult and Southee] make it easy for me. They are just really consistent at what they do so that makes it easy. They can swing the ball and bowl heavy with good pace."

But that place behind the two premier quicks is being chased by a number of allrounders similar to de Grandhomme, who was a surprise pick in the Test side as he was seen as someone past his prime, having made his international debut in 2012. He is now competing with the likes of Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham and Colin Munro, which means he can't let up on delivering good performances with the bat and ball.

De Grandhomme's Test debut came on the back of strong performances for Auckland, which included a match-winning 144 not out off 147 balls against Otago. He was still thought to be Neesham's back-up but quickly grabbed the No. 6 spot. Then last month, de Grandhomme hit a 35-ball 71 in the T20 win over Canterbury in Auckland.

After representing Zimbabwe in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup and playing six first-class games in 2005, de Grandhomme came to New Zealand to play some club cricket in 2007, and soon found himself in the Auckland side - for the State T20 final - when overseas player Mal Loye was injured. Auckland won the match, though de Grandhomme didn't bat or bowl.

"I came here after school to play club cricket for a bit, and see how it goes. I think Mal Loye got injured and I got an opportunity. I was [a foreign player] at that time."

De Grandhomme supports the idea of switching to playing for another country if the opportunity arises. "Playing at the top level is No. 1 [priority]. Also choosing a country that benefits you."

Like Neil Wagner, another fast bowler who moved to New Zealand from southern Africa, de Grandhomme will be hoping he can establish himself in the New Zealand set-up through his hard work and determination.