Ollie Robinson issued a reminder of the talent he offers Brendon McCullum's England as he impressed on his return to the Test set-up against South Africa on Thursday.
The 28-year-old was featuring for the first time since England's fifth Ashes Test in January after sitting out March's entire series against West Indies due to a back injury.
Entering the fold in place of Matthew Potts, the right-arm pace bowler finished with figures of 1-48 from 14 overs to help England brush the visitors aside for a measly 151 on the opening day of the second Test.
England's set-up play with the ball had been shrewd and precise to exploit favourable conditions in a morning that set the tone for the first innings, Robinson proving a key component in that regard as he joined James Anderson in finding joy with wicked seam movement off the pitch to warrant indecision at the crease.
Robinson found 0.93° of seam on average across his opening spell, notably higher than Stuart Broad in his nine opening spells this summer, according to The CricViz Analyst.
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Consistent lengths combined with misdirection off the surface and a career-best average speed of 83mph across his opening spell in thwarting any effort from openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee to get South Africa rolling.
A sole wicket could have been two were it not for a no-ball in the 10th when Elgar edged onto his pads and into the hands of a diving Ollie Pope only for Robinson to be called back for over-stepping the crease. He might have also had one two overs earlier as Ben Stokes came up just shy of hauling in a one-handed diving catch off Elgar at gully.
"I think he's bowled pretty well, obviously had he kept his foot behind the line he would have had a wicket.
There was a hard dropped catch as well," said Michael Atherton.
"He looked threatening with the new ball and the reason he was brought into the side was the difficulty England had in breaking the Elgar-Erwee partnership at Lord's and the inconsistent lines Potts bowled to the two left-handers.
"I thought he was right to give him the new ball, it's a long time, a decade since Broad and Anderson have played together and not taken the new ball in Test cricket, but I thought it was the right thing for Robinson to take it and he did look threatening.
"He was very accurate, his skillset is unquestioned, it's just about his fitness really."
Robinson's return to action comes after a productive debut year in Test cricket that saw him collect 39 wickets in nine matches at an average of 21.28 prior to injury setbacks and criticism of his fitness by England bowling coach Jon Lewis following the Ashes.
Expectations had been somewhat heightened heading into Thursdays in light of Potts' popularity having claimed 20 wickets in five Tests since debuting earlier this summer.
Stokes' faith was repaid rather quickly with the added bounce he had sought to implement through Robinson, whose line rarely strayed from being problematic, as well as being underlined through the England skipper handing him the new ball.
His wicket moment finally arrived in the first over after tea when a perfectly pitched delivery trapped Anrich Nortje lbw to reduce South Africa to 143-9, though it might well have been the consistency in his speeds and threat that stood out most to McCullum and his coaching team.
"The length he bowls is the one that challenges all of us batters into making a call as to whether we can get forward or back," said Mark Butcher.
"And the problems he caused nearly all of South Africa's top order was the fact they weren't able to do either, they got caught on the crease.
"Athers and I will remember it well, when you're playing Glenn McGrath, he's always trying to catch you half-and-half, then if any movement happens you're in a really hard spot to keep it out.
"The other beauty about watching Ollie Robinson bowl and where he is so so good is his line is utterly immaculate, he very rarely gets too straight, hardly ever gives away a couple, so you're always in a position where you're having to make a decision as a batter - 'am I playing? am I leaving? can I score?' That's high-quality bowling."
In the end, his figures arguably failed to do justice for the control and authority with which he bowled.
Watch day two of the second Test against South Africa live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am Friday.