After taking an emerging squad to Sri Lanka late last year, Aotearoa's Blackcaps have won five of their last six ODIs with three consecutive wins in the ODI Tri-Series vs Pakistan and South Africa.
Auckland went back to back with Ford Trophy wins after defeating Northern Districts, while Central Districts stopped the Canterbury streak by winning in Rangiora and Otago grabbed a win against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.
Ford Trophy cricket is back with Canterbury and Auckland leading the competition as the only teams with five wins.
Wellington Blaze and Central Stags are Super Smash champions.
As Super Smash finals are played on Sunday, let's take a moment to digest the best of the rest which includes Blackcaps/White Ferns context and notable youngsters for both competitions
Wellington hosted two game days at the Basin Reserve to start the week with Blaze winning both their games vs Auckland and Canterbury, while Firebirds lost to those teams on the men's side.
As always there are lots of funky youngsters knocking around in Super Smash and 'The Best Youngsters, Part 2' is here to offer a few key thoughts about Matt Boyle, Auckland's young core, Amelia Kerr, Eden Carson and more.
Northern Districts were having none of Otago's road trip excellence with two wins for the Brave in Dunedin, then Central Districts held down it down in Napier with two wins over Canterbury.
The Champions Trophy is back and it comes at an intriguing time for New Zealand cricket as the Blackcaps have transitioned towards a younger, fresher group.
Otago Sparks and Volts are the hottest Super Smash teams right now, while Jess Kerr is the most dominant women's player and Michael Bracewell is whacking boundaries.
Otago brushed aside Central Districts in both games in Palmerston North and Northern Districts did the double against Auckland in Hamilton in the last two Super Smash game days.
Central Districts Stags are the best men's team in Super Smash right now, while that honour is shared between Wellington Blaze and Otago Sparks in the women's competition.
The Super Smash rolls along with Canterbury's Matt Boyle sitting as the best youngster across both competitions, although White Ferns spinners Eden Carson and Fran Jonas would be in contention if they weren't international cricketers already.
Central Districts split their Super Smash game day vs Northern Districts in Nelson with a win in the men's game and a loss in the women's game.
Auckland defeated Canterbury in both of their crazy Super Smash game day and Wellington handled their business against Central Districts.
New Zealand has gone 3-2 in T20Is against Sri Lanka over the past few months and now the away/home double up with Sri Lanka heads into ODI mode.
Northern Brave men and Wellington Blaze started their Super Smash campaigns with wins, which for the Blaze usually means more Amelia Kerr excellence.
The Super Smash festivities in Alexandra have finished with Otago Sparks going 2-1 and Volts going 1-1 as they had a game washed out.
Super Smash cricket is underway in Aotearoa with rain rubbing out most of the first game day between Northern Districts and Auckland, then Canterbury women and Otago men grabbed wins in Alexandra.
Outside of their T20 World Cup success, New Zealand's White Ferns went 3-21 this year across both formats and the Rose Bowl series loss offered a familiar feeling for kiwi cricket fans.