New Zealand's bowling find of the summer Chris Martin says he's still learning how to play the one-day game, but there'll be some in the Central Districts camp who think he knows more than enough.

His blistering start in Central Districts' innings in the first Shell Cup final in Napier on Wednesday spoke volumes about how far his game had come since he was plucked out of nowhere to travel to South Africa as a replacement for Andrew Penn who was replacing Dion Nash.

Three wickets in 16 balls, those of Mathew Sinclair, Craig Spearman and David Kelly, were just what the Cantabrians ordered when having to defend a paltry total of only 174.

"I'd been living the high life a little on the international scene so it was quite a good time to do it for Canterbury," Martin said.

"It was the first time I've played in a final in the three years I've been playing for Canterbury so that was quite good."

His burst gave Canterbury a significant advantage in the finals series, an advantage they will be looking to extend in the second final to be played tomorrow.

"I haven't played a lot of one day cricket, I'm still learning it. But I just thought on Wednesday that this was my first chance at a big so I was quite relaxed and went for it.

"I've bowled to Skippy (Sinclair) and Craig Spearman plenty of times in the nets and I knew they could be quite brutal if we didn't get them early."

A burst of speed which was always going to happen with a hard ball in the first few overs, was sufficient to make up for the lack of pace in the pitch. Not to forget the improved ability with yorkers coming back into batsmen.

In the laconic way that is as natural to him as running in with the ball and letting it rip, Martin said, "There were a couple that shot out of the hand a little faster than usual."

Martin had earlier confirmed his arrival on the international scene, to New Zealand fans, by picking up his first five-wicket bag in the one-off Test with Zimbabwe at the Basin Reserve. That performance came on top of his showing in South Africa which proved the crucial element in his advance.

"South Africa gave me a lot more belief in my ability. Once you figure you can cope at any level then you are in," he said.

That belief came by not allowing the South African batsmen to score runs and then picking up wickets when his confidence grew.

He had gone in with the backing of his team-mates who impressed on the new boy that he was up to it in several different ways.

"Little things like telling you, you were hitting the bat hard in the nets. While David Trist as well did a lot of talking to me.

Martin reflected that if he had even thought about things at the start of the summer he would never have dreamt that he would be performing on the international stage so soon.

"And I would not have expected that many wickets against that sort of opposition in South Africa."

Martin picked up 11 wickets at 26.0, the best by any of the New Zealand bowlers.

While his first exposure to the international one day game was in tough circumstances in Taupo, it is a game he enjoys nonetheless.

"There's a result, there's a wee bit of atmosphere to being out there. It's quite an adrenalin rush," he said.

The prospect of bowling at the death doesn't bother him either. He's enjoying it, and is perfecting those yorker balls which can be so difficult to put away, as Andrew Schwass found on Wednesday when he was clean bowled to end the game.

More of the same at Jade Stadium is on order as far as he's concerned although he is picking that Canterbury, at least, will be scoring a lot more runs than it has in its last two games.

Once the weekend is over, whether it is tomorrow or, in the case of a CD win, on Sunday, it is off to Napier on Monday to prepare for the Sri Lankan series, the next step in the Martin education process.

"They will be an interesting proposition. They've got some pretty dashing batsmen," he said.

Martin's ready for anything, although he admits that sense getting his big chance out of the blue to play first-class cricket for Canterbury three years ago, all he has wanted to do is play for New Zealand.

He has found that the demands on him to bowl faster more often have increased as he has moved up the ladder.

"I have had to let that energy ball go more often," he said.

Because of his late start in the game, he's 26, he didn't think his career would be as long as some others in the game.

"It makes sense to enjoy it while it lasts," he said.

With the Canterbury faithful likely to line up in their numbers tomorrow as they sense another addition to the trophy cabinet it is certain that they will be enjoying Chris Martin while his golden run lasts.

His arrival on the scene has been one of the brightest features of the summer so far.

© CricInfo