Stephen Fleming returns to Jade Stadium for the first time since leaving for Wellington, for this deciding last round of the Shell Cup match against Canterbury.

Canterbury, Fleming's former team, are a new unit compared to even a week ago, when coach Garry MacDonald said to "take our medicine," was his cure for a disappointing display, as Central Districts cruised towards victory in the Shell Trophy.

Since then unlikely heroes have emerged to transform Canterbury's season. So often in the past Fleming and company came to rescue Canterbury after the internationals and take the red and blacks to victory in the Cup.

Not any more. Fleming followed his heart to Wellington. Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan returned to add quality, and with Astle's 121 against Otago in the last round, quantity.

It is two lesser-known players, two of McMillan's teammates from the 1996 under-19 New Zealand team, who have shown the character to see Canterbury through the difficult times before the resurgence.

Stephen Cunis and Gareth Hopkins, both Northern Districts apprentices in those days, are now integral parts of the team. Their performances against Central Districts, Northern Districts and Otago in the recent series of games have transformed a mediocre season into a new dawn.

Hopkins is a combative wicketkeeper and reliably rock-like batsman. Cunis is a competitor, adrenalin rushing even when standing on the boundary, talking to passers by, intensely communicating his desire to win.

Cunis has come from nowhere last season, when he did not play at all for Canterbury's first team, to become a regular. Hopkins was not even first choice one-day wicketkeeper earlier this season. It would take a lot to shift the pair now, despite there being 24 players who have played for the 1st XI this year.

Another from the 1996 under-19 team is Matthew Bell, the prolific Wellington run-scorer and captain. But, top of the table in the Trophy, bottom in the Cup until Tuesday. What can anyone make of that?

Perhaps Wellington, like Canterbury, have just been waiting to reach full strength before impressing.

New Zealand Cricket's operations manager, John Reid for one has expressed his "disappointment with Shell Cup scoring," and his comments were vindicated by losing first innings totals of 73 (Auckland), 173 (Northern Districts) and 207 (Otago) in the last round. Canterbury and Wellington will surely change this run of low scores on a good Jade Stadium wicket on Thursday.

But, it is the quality of the batting that should give the expected large crowd something of substance to watch. Astle was his at his belligerent best against Otago, scoring his sixth Shell Cup century. McMillan is in fine form, as of course are Wellington's record-breaking pair, Roger Twose and Fleming. Twose, the Cup's leading career run scorer is the only player who can match Astle's record number of hundreds.

Twose, another who, like Fleming, moved cricket teams for career and relationship reasons, is a player who can be devastatingly good. His 124 last Sunday, and his improvisation and style complement Fleming's cultured stroke making. The left-handed world No 3 one-day batsman is being tempted to delay retirement by Reid, who has said, "we are not going to let it happen." The duo's record for all wicket stands of 244 against Otago last week, was followed by a more modest, but still match-winning 69 partnership on Tuesday against the Knights. A run feast to delight the crowd is in order.

It promises to be another exciting encounter, this time in front of a big crowd, as the most competitive Shell Cup for years.

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