All good things take time and Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum believes the clock is counting down before Luke Ronchi announces himself on cricket’s world stage.

The 32-year-old former Australian international is five games into his rebirth as a Black Cap but he has yet to convince the doubters he has the ability to open in one-dayers.

Those five innings have yielded a total of 43 runs, but McCullum says it won’t be long before an attack feels the wrath of the wicketkeeper-batsman.

“Ronks is obviously disappointed he hasn’t got that one big score yet,” said McCullum after the Dannevirke-born Ronchi fell for 14 in the washed out match against Australia at Edgbaston.

That followed innings of zero, two, 22 and seven since he made his debut for the country of his birth after playing four ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals for Australia.

In his last outing wearing the gold uniform he struck six sixes and five fours in a 28-ball 64 against the West Indies and McCullum feels an innings like that is around the corner.

“We’re confident that Luke will come good very shortly and know that when he does he’s going to tear a team apart as well,” he said.

McCullum knows a thing or two about opening the batting at international level, doing the job 84 times in his 217 one-dayers and he is prepared to persevere with the gloveman.

“His role at the top of the order is to get us away to a quick start and sometimes when you’re playing that high risk cricket you can get out cheaply as well,” he said.

McCullum knows first hand how tough it can be to juggle the demands of keeping and opening the batting and despite his struggles with the bat thinks the Wellington Firebird has excelled behind the stumps.

“I think his keeping has been outstanding. He’s a very valuable member of this team and he’s an experienced player as well.”