Ken Rutherford had to face up to ferocious fast bowlers Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner on his debut tour of the West Indies in 1985.
Nearly 30 years later, son Hamish has a much gentler challenge ahead in his first trip to the Caribbean. While he will still get the odd snarly bouncer, it is spin which will likely prove the greatest threat.
The Black Caps leave next week and Hamish has been busy preparing for what he expects will be a slow-burning examination from the likes of Sunil Narine, Shane Shillingford and perhaps even Sulieman Benn.
Instead of bobbing, ducking and weaving out of the way like his father before him, the opener will have to get forward and try and cover any spin or extra bounce which could cause problems.
The obligatory 10-20 overs of seam at the top of the innings might not eventuate, either, with Rutherford suggesting the West Indies could open with a spinner.
''Actually, they could open with them, which would be unique,'' he said.
''As an opener, growing up in New Zealand, you don't get to face spin that early.''
Winter in Dunedin is far from the ideal location to prepare for a tour of the West Indies, and Rutherford's training has been limited to hitting balls indoors at the Edgar Centre.
But he has been working with former New Zealand opener Craig Cumming and two Black Caps team-mates, offspinner Mark Craig and left-armer Neil Wagner.
''I've been focusing on a couple of technical things but mostly on decision-making around length and trying to play everything in the nets as if I'm facing what I'm likely to get over there.''
There is only so much you can do indoors and Rutherford said the two warm-up games would provide important preparation.
''Once I get there it will be about adjusting a quickly as possible. With the lack of preparation on grass and in the heat, it will be quite crucial to spend some time at the crease, even if it is just an hour, to tick off a few key things.''
The Black Caps batting order is settled with the exception of the opening berths. Cantabrian Tom Latham has joined the squad and will compete with Rutherford and fellow opener Peter Fulton for a spot in the test side.
''It is great that there is competition there. That is going to happen in any sport at this level. In the past I've sort of done well when I've had that extra pressure on me.''
One thing is for sure: Rutherford will be hoping for more success than Ken. Rutherford senior, aged just 19 at the time, was asked to open on that fateful tour of the West Indies. He bagged a pair on debut and scored just 12 runs in seven innings. Marshall claimed his wicket five times and Garner once, and he was run out without facing in his other innings.
With the greatest respect to Narine, Shillingford and Benn, they are no Marshall or Garner.
