John Parker was the man in the thick of the action when West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding kicked down the stumps at Carisbrook 28 years ago, a nasty incident in a series noted as the most acrimonious in New Zealand test cricket history.
New Zealand won the 1980 test by one wicket when Stephen Boock and Gary Troup ran a leg bye to complete the run chase, and went on to win the series when the next two tests were drawn.
"It was difficult to play the West Indies with their fast bowling attack in New Zealand because of the pitches, poor outfields and archaic practice facilities," Parker recalled.
"I couldn't say I enjoyed the series."
The Carisbrook result went against the form books because the West Indies had won the three-test series in Australia 2-0.
The Parker incident occurred in the second innings when New Zealand was struggling to score 104 runs to win the test.
"Holding was bowling incredibly quickly and I managed to nick one," he said.
"Everyone afterwards said I'd nicked it. But I hadn't. It hit my right thumb."
The batsman is out if hit on the hand when holding the bat.
Parker, by then an experienced test player, had learnt what to do if he nicked the ball.
"Guilty batsmen quickly look round to see what happened," he recalled.
"That is a good indicator."
But Parker had nicked many in his career, and he didn't look behind him.
"I nonchalantly looked out of the corner of one eye and the ball was curving nicely wide of first slip when Deryck Murray ran to his right and caught it," he said.
But the umpire gave him not out.
"I saw out of the corner of my other eye that Michael Holding was making tracks in my direction and was 10 inches away from me when he booted all the stumps out of the ground."
Holding, whose nickname was "Whispering Death", never said a word to Parker.
"But there were two other tests left and I knew I was going to get a very warm West Indian welcome in the next test at Christchurch."
The West Indies team at that time had a battery of four fast bowlers and used to bowl the first pair until drinks and the next pair in the second hour. The pattern was repeated every session.
But in Christchurch captain Clive Lloyd gave Holding a rest after just three overs, to keep him fresh for Parker.
"I was sitting there with my pads on and knew what they were going to do," Parker said.
"We lost our second wicket and I went out to bat 20min before lunch. Clive Lloyd stood next to me when he called Michael up to bowl," Parker said.
Holding bowled like lightning and Parker was not skilled enough to hit even one ball in that 20min period.
"He tried to hit me but never did," Parker said.
"When these small incidents happen they always have repercussions."
Another important factor in the test result came when chairman of selectors Frank Cameron told a media conference the selectors had brought a second spinner into the New Zealand squad because the Carisbrook wicket was expected to take spin.
The West Indies fell for it and played off-spinner Derek Parry, but New Zealand went into the test without a second spinner.
"That was what won us the test," Parker said.
"The general approach to a spinner who wasn't very good was to just get three, or four or five an over so that he would bowl 10 overs. But when we played the West Indies all those delicate strategies were thrown out the window.
"Whoever was facing Parry was going to slog themselves to death and make hay while the sun shone. Cairnsy [Lance Cairns] just kept smashing them. It was the winning of the game for us. Every run was important."
Parker gives the current New Zealand team an excellent chance of matching the success of 28 years ago in its series against the West Indies starting in Dunedin next week.
