However, the Dunedin lawyer and wife of Black Caps coach Mike Hesson says she felt all the anxiety and elation of the national team as it slammed its way into Sunday's Cricket World Cup final in Melbourne with a six off the second-last ball against South Africa on Tuesday night.
And the woman with some in-depth knowledge of the coach and team says the former is calm and level-headed, and the latter ''raring to go''.
Mrs Hesson returned to Dunedin this week from the semifinal win in Auckland, and will be in Melbourne when the Black Caps take the field in their first world cup final.
Of the Auckland cliffhanger, she said nobody was seated in the corporate box set aside for partners and family: ''We were all writhing or screaming, swearing or shouting.
''When Grant Elliott hit the last six, everybody was hugging each other and there were tears - all sorts of elation, really.''
The joys of being the wife of the national coach did come with a downside, however - Hesson was away a lot.
''It depends on what's going on. We've probably seen more of him since Christmas, because they've been playing in New Zealand.''
That still meant one week at home, two weeks away, even when he was in New Zealand - and a tour of England was next on the schedule.
''When we see him, he's not on holiday - it's work.
''I think the only year we've done a proper tally was his first year as coach, and he was away for 311 days of that year. That's the numbers we're talking.''
Communication ranged from FaceTime to telephone calls, and Skyping to videos put together by Mrs Hesson and their daughters Holly (8) and Charlie (4).
''We travel a little bit, but it's hard.
''Coaches never stop. There's a lot of off-field work involved, always fighting fires, that sort of thing.''
Asked whether she was a cricket fan, Mrs Hesson responded: ''Ummmm ... I've learned to really appreciate the game''.
''I've grown up with it being the sport that my family watched when I was a kid, but none of my family members played it.
''I've always understood it, and quite liked it, but what I do enjoy is the culture around it.''
She also clearly had plenty of in-depth knowledge of the New Zealand team and its tactics.
''Definitely.
''I probably know more than your average punter.''
The feeling within the team was ''fantastic''.
''Everybody's really excited and ready to meet the challenge on Sunday; really unified.''
The team was ''a really good group, including the supporters''.
''Everybody's family.
''Everybody's hyped and ready to go.''
That included her husband, who was not one to get stressed before big occasions.
''Mike's a pretty level-headed character, so he prepares well, and probably one of the ways they manage to accomplish what they have is take each game as it comes.
''And he's very much looking at this final in that way.
''He's a planner, he likes a bit of space, he needs quiet time before, just with his thoughts.
''He takes it in his stride.
''If you get too stressed, that's when you make mistakes.''
