Stephen Boock had no idea how many runs New Zealand needed to win when he hesitantly made his way out to the middle during the first test against the West Indies in Dunedin in 1980.
He had hidden himself in the changing rooms hoping he would not be required.
"It was terrifying stuff," Boock recalled.
"I'd been hiding in the dressing room and guys kept coming back in I didn't even know had gone out to bat yet. In the end I just laid down and turned off the lights and waited for someone to yell out that it was my turn."
What had him so frightened? Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Colin Croft. Even without Andy Roberts the West Indies side still boasted one of the most fearsome fast-bowling attacks of all time. And they were fired up.
New Zealand had dominated most of the test, but set just 104 for victory, the home side was reduced to 100 for nine.
Earlier in the match, Holding, nicknamed Whispering Death for the way he used to glide to the wicket, had kicked over the stumps in frustration when an appeal for caught behind off John Parker had been declined.
Boock joined Gary Troup at the wicket and remembers spotting a gap in the gully.
"I remember thinking, 'God, that is exactly where I'd hit the ball'. I was hardly going to hit it in front of the wicket."
He got a full delivery and squirted it through the gap towards third man. With the scores level the pair convened for a brief strategy meeting.
"We decided we were going to go if we got anything on it. As it turned out it was Keystone Cops sort of stuff."
Garner came tearing in and sent a ball down from wide on the crease which cannoned into Boock's pads. The batsmen set off on a comical single which could have easily ended badly.
"We stopped and started and ran around each other and around fieldsmen who had put themselves in the way. You had to go through the chicanes almost to get to the other end. But we did it and it was pretty exciting.
"It was a well-placed leg-bye," he added, laughing.
When Boock reached the end he grabbed a stump out of the ground for a keepsake. He had it sawn down the middle and a hinge put on. Both sides have signed it and it still bears Holding's sprig mark. It is his favourite piece of memorabilia. And as acrimonious as the series was, "there were some long-lasting friendships forged on that tour".
