New Zealand's impressive eight-wicket win over the West Indies helped clinch their first victory in a three-Test series since 2006 - and should be the platform for the Black Caps to build on as they look to move forward.
The home side, who had won the second Test by an innings and 73 runs after the opener had ended in a draw, easily knocked off the 122 runs they needed for victory on day four in Hamilton to seal a 2-0 overall series triumph.
The win also secures back-to-back Test victories for NZ against a top-eight side for the first time in nearly eight years and represents the first success in 11 Tests under the leadership of skipper Brendon McCullum.
Despite that sounding like poor form to cricket betting fans, New Zealand have been steadily building throughout 2013 and, in a similar fashion to that in which Australia's 3-0 defeat in England earlier this year was harsh, they have not always been getting the results performances deserved.
McCullum is well aware just how important it was for his side to claim the overall win and hopes it puts out a good statement of intent for the future for his improving side.
"I thought it was an outstanding Test match and an outstanding series," he said. "We've had a pretty tough time of late. I think we've played some good cricket at home and haven't always got the results.
"But I think we've been putting in some pretty consistent performances at home and to put some results on that is obviously very nice."
Former captain Ross Taylor appears to be benefitting from not having the pressure of leading the side on his shoulders any more as he became the first Kiwi in over 40 years to hit centuries in three consecutive Tests. He clearly is happier concentrating just on his batting. On top of that, his 2013 stats are impressive with an average of 72.16 from 10 Tests across the year.
Seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee, meanwhile, continued their fine form with the ball to dominate an admittedly-disappointing West Indies attack to leave McCullum's men with plenty of positives to ponder.
The latest cricket betting odds suggest that if New Zealand, who now play five ODI's and two T20's against the Windies, can keep Taylor, Boult and Southee in this sort of form, there are surely more victories like this one to come in 2014.
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