New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming's fourth Test century today, against the West Indies in Barbados, is welcome in more ways than one.

Most importantly, it stabilised New Zealand's position when it was on the skids at 117/5.

Largely as a result of his 130 during a sixth-wicket partnership of 108 with wicket-keeper Robbie Hart, Fleming allowed New Zealand to go to stumps at 257/6, a better, if not totally pleasing, position.

It was just the sort of innings of leadership that Fleming has been needing for several summers to supplement the other achievements he has made during an era of more stability and success for the New Zealand side.

That is not to say New Zealand is in any way favoured already to come out of this first Test in the West Indies with its first Test victory in the Caribbean.

Rather, it is to admit that for all he has achieved in moulding a side, taking over its presentation to the public and its success in getting itself to third place on the ICC Test Championship ladder, while also having to deal with a maddening parade of injury problems, Fleming's batting has suffered as a consequence.

For so long he went unable to convert his good innings into centuries. By rights he should have been nudging John Wright and Martin Crowe on the all-time list of century makers in New Zealand Test history. However, that is still some distance away.

But by breaking a yoke he had across his back in the third Test against Australia at Perth late last year, he has freed himself and the results have been forthcoming.

It was clear during the one-day series against the West Indies, that Fleming was enjoying the conditions in the Caribbean. In three of his five innings he had scores of 89, 34 and 65. That should not surprise.

It was in Port of Spain in 1996 that he scored his maiden century in One-Day Internationals, playing a superb innings on that occasion to carry New Zealand to a thrilling victory - their first international success in the West Indies.

But Fleming said when signing to play for Middlesex during the English summer of 2001 that he wanted to get into a groove of scoring centuries. While he may not have set the world on fire, he has at least regained the knack and has put himself in a position where he could be set to run into that vein of form that often suits New Zealand batsmen after six or seven seasons of international cricket.

It is a maturity and experience thing more than anything else. Because of the lack of cricket New Zealanders play, they take much more time to settle down as international cricketers.

Fleming's batting development has not been helped by the lack of opportunities he has had to play first-class cricket in domestic cricket in New Zealand. This is traditionally the sort of area for batsmen to work on their technique, but international duties have denied Fleming the chance to improve and refine the demands of batting.

And in his case, there has been a need to work hard on technical aspects of his play.

But his efforts today in Barbados will have New Zealand cricket supporters hoping that he has finally found the batting groove he has long been capable of, and with it he can help ensure much more batting consistency right through the New Zealand order.

There is a long way to go in this two-Test series. But Fleming has made the perfect start from New Zealand's point of view.

© CricInfo