Whitney, 55, and cursed with the fast bowler's legacy of crook knees, is well known as a television personality but his exploits as a cricketer were inspiring.

Few, if any, matched the day he and Craig McDermott dug deep to deny New Zealand a Test victory that denied the Kiwis the Trans Tasman Trophy.

The noted "bunny" survived 18 balls to finish with an unconquered two, but six of those deliveries were Hadlee's final over.

Somehow, Whitney survived the onslaught and while Kiwi wicketkeeper Ian Smith threw him the ball to acknowledge a great effort, he overlooked the fact that Hadlee's five-wicket haul meant he had dibs on the still-shiny Kookaburra.

It's the only ball missing from his 36 five-wicket efforts at Test level and Whitney decided after talking to Hadlee it was time to pass it on  - with strings attached.

"I thought 'oh man' do I give it back to him to complete his collection?'," said Whitney. "I've owned it for so long, it's a piece of Australian cricketing memorabilia. Then I thought about how important that ball would be to me as a bowler, he took a five-for with it ... you give blood for that.

"I like Richard. I spent a bit of time with him post-cricket and hosting gigs. He's a delightful man and was a noble cricketer. I told him I'm going to give it back but he needs to remember it's mine. Ian Smith gave it to me but I'm giving it to Richard – and his family – on permanent loan.

"It humbles me to think when he shows people his collection he'll say, 'And that's the ball bloody Mike Whitney blocked to save a Test'.

Whitney was the "bunny" of his era and laughed heartily at the notion he made Glenn McGrath look like Bradman. He even admitted he struggled to hit Joel Garner for four in the famous beer commercial where he was scripted as the No.11 who had one shot to save the day: "I didn't even hit the ball in the Toohey's commercial, bro. It's smoke 'n' mirrors, someone threw it because I kept missing!"

That's why Whitney's effort to survive Hadlee's final over in the 1987 Boxing Day Test is an example of grit defying expectation.

People were enthralled by the brawl of wills between a Kiwi destined to be knighted for his service and a larrikin from beachside Maroubra who was toughened by playing rugby league in the Souths juniors and surfing booming waves.

"Allan Border always said it wasn't up to tailenders to save the day – well, it was," he said.  

As he walked out with either 32 runs needed for victory or for him and Craig McDermott to hang on for the draw, Whitney was farewelled with a look that screamed desperation.

"Allan hadn't won a series and people were talking about that," he said. "We were 1-0 up in the series and needed to get the Trans Tasman Cup back from them. When I walked out Allan's look was, 'Man, this will be my first series if you can do it'."

Whitney was struck on the leg by a Hadlee delivery and McDermott survived a leg-before-wicket appeal from Danny Morrison. When the Kiwi's angst about an unfair decision was mentioned his response of, "It says 'not out' in the books", seemed well rehearsed.

"Before Richard ran in for the last over Martin Crowe sang 'How do you feel'," from the Toohey's commercial," he said. "I thought 'classic'."

"I blocked the first one; let at least two deliveries go, and I never let a ball go. The ball was new so it was shaping down and swinging away and beating my bat by a few inches. I thought 'Rich, keep bowling that and you'll never get me out'.

"I talked to myself. I've always backed myself, never said 'you can't do this'. I always said 'let's have  a crack' and I was having a crack.

"I could see on his face, for that last delivery, he'd steadied himself. He was summoning every atom in his body and I realised I needed to do the same."

Whitney was surprised Hadlee didn't bounce him and supposed he was either an incredible gentleman or backed himself to dismiss him. But Hadlee revealed  his approach had little to do with chivalry

"I had six balls to get him out and thought a bouncer would've been a wasted delivery," he said. "My attack was to get him out either lbw or bowled.

"The straighter I bowled the more that he was able to defend and interestingly enough, when the ball was pitched outside the off-stump he played and missed, it was an opportunity for an edge but only Geoffrey Boycott would have nicked it, probably."

While Hadlee had toiled for 30 overs his bone-weariness was forgotten when the prospect of victory beckoned.

"We were close to winning. I had a newish ball and the adrenaline had kicked in," Hadlee recalled. "I was reasonably fresh.

"Up until the last ball I thought we still had a chance but 'Whit' was equal to the occasion. When he blocked it I was the first to congratulate him. I shook his hand, put my hand on his helmet and said 'well done'. He'd won the battle."

Hadlee described Whitney's gesture, in returning the ball, as moving and said 28 years on it encapsulated the spirit of an old battle well fought.

"It's been done in the spirit of camaraderie, respect and history, of the occasion, of the battle we fought and he won," he said. "Mike's gesture is very special."