The experienced seamer was stuck on nine wickets for the Plunket Shield match, and with Auckland's Chris Martin trudging towards the crease, de Boorder generously decided it was time to reintroduce his strike bowler.
Sheepishly, McSkimming obliged and removed the famously inept No 11.
Martin spooned a catch to Michael Bracewell at gully to help complete a thoroughly miserable match for the visitors.
He also left Anaru Kitchen stranded on 89.
McSkimming's celebration was muted considering his achievement.
He took five wickets in both innings to take 10 wickets in a match for only the second time in his career.
He acknowledged the special moment by briefly waving one arm in the air.
Perhaps he was still feeling guilty about getting the chance to take Martin's wicket.
"I wasn't that happy about it because it is a team game and I'm not a greedy man," McSkimming said.
"But it was nice to get the opportunity to try and get a 10-for because it does not happen that often."
There was a sense of deja vu in McSkimming's performance.
While the 31-year-old could not recall who his previous 10-wicket bag was against, it was actually the same opposition, at the same venue, seven years earlier.
But this was arguably his greatest performance.
On Tuesday morning, he took five for 18 as Auckland collapsed to be all out for 46, and then he returned in the afternoon to take three for 31.
He picked up Bruce Martin's wicket in his first spell yesterday morning and then captured Chris Martin's wicket to help dismiss Auckland for 281 in its second innings.
Remarkably, the scores were tied and Otago had to come out and score one run to win.
Bracewell had a big waft at the first delivery he faced but ultimately scored the required run safely enough.
Otago won by 10 wickets, and the win has lifted the Volts to 22 points.
"I've been playing for 12 years now and it is really exciting to be in with a chance to win the competition with four games to go," McSkimming said.
"Obviously, we've won other competitions but to win the Plunket Shield would be amazing."
McSkimming was part of the Otago side which won the one-day title in 2007-08 and twenty/20 tournament in 2008-09.
The four-day title would complete the set.
Otago coach Mike Hesson said other than the morning session on Tuesday, the game was an even contest.
"To win a session [that convincingly] was the defining moment of the game," Hesson said.
"But you certainly can't underestimate how well Michael Bracewell played."
The 20-year-old left-hander's innings of 97 helped set up Otago's first innings total of 327.
Darren Broom (75) and Neil Wagner (63 not out) also played nicely.
Otago captain Craig Cumming took a knock to his shoulder while batting in the match and did not field yesterday.
In Whangarei, opener Stephen Murdoch chalked up his maiden first-class century as Wellington set Northern Districts a challenging 384 for victory at Cobham Oval, NZPA reported.
Murdoch (27), who made 86 in the first innings, ended unbeaten on 104 after an innings peppered with 14 boundaries.
When bad light ended play early, Northern was 11 without loss, to set up an intriguing run chase on the final day.
Another run chase was on the cards in Rangiora, where competition leader Central Districts leads Canterbury by 302 runs with five wickets in hand.
Former Black Cap Mathew Sinclair registered his 31st first-class ton to be unbeaten on 197 as Central ended 314 for five at the close.
Canterbury earlier pulled the pin on its first innings at 296 for eight, a lead of 12 runs, after Dean Brownlie fell three runs short of a century.
