The Otago Daily Times counts down the 150 Greatest Moments in Otago sport.
No 22: New Zealand beats Pakistan at Carisbrook (1985)
And, 26 years later, the two-wicket win against Pakistan at Carisbrook in February 1985 remains one of New Zealand's most memorable test cricket performances.
Richard Hadlee captured his 250th wicket, Javed Miandad raised 5000 test runs and 18-year-old Wasim Akram became the youngest player in history to take 10 wickets in a match.
The game had more twists than a Roald Dahl yarn, but is best remembered for the courageous ninth-wicket partnership between Jeremy Coney and Ewen Chatfield.
Coney, all legs and arms, and "Chats", the most unlikely of batsmen, defied the Pakistan attack for 104 minutes and scored the 50 runs needed to guide their side to an epic victory.
Chasing a target of 278, New Zealand had slumped to 23 for four when Coney joined Martin Crowe at the crease.
The pair added 157 for the fifth wicket before Crowe was caught in the gully. Wickets had fallen in clumps during the game and Crowe's departure triggered another collapse.
Hadlee was bowled, Ian Smith nicked out, Lance Cairns was felled by an Akram bouncer and had to be assisted from the field.
X-rays later revealed he had a hairline fracture in his skull and would not have been fit to return.
When Brendon Bracewell holed out after mistiming a hook shot, New Zealand had effectively lost five wickets for 48 runs and was still 50 runs away from the target with just Coney and Chatfield left.
It seemed all too impossible.
But a resolute Chatfield prodded forward and jabbed delivery after delivery safely away.
While initially he appeared as comfortable as someone fending off oversized wasps, taking several painful-looking blows, he seemed to grow in confidence and actually faced the majority of the strike.
Pakistan, you see, was happy to give Coney singles and New Zealand grew increasingly comfortable taking them.
Coney scored 21 consecutive singles as he nudged his way towards his second century. In all, Chatfield accounted for 84 of 132 deliveries faced by the partnership.
When Coney (111 not out) tucked a delivery from Tahir Naqqash behind square for two runs to seal the win, the two Wellingtonians had to sprint for the haven of the dressing room as many of the 4000-strong crowd invaded the ground.
"There was always the temptation to want to hit out, get a few fours, and reduce the gap," Coney said shortly after the match.
"But you just had to plug on and let the runs pile up.
"[Chatfield] had it under control. He shielded me from the bowling for quite a long time."
