"Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse, playing cricket is not," Keith Miller, the great Australia allrounder once said.
If it is accepted that the results of sporting contests require a dose of perspective now and again, it wouldn't really be sport if there wasn't the talk of pressure.
It abounded at Eden Park on Friday as New Zealand and South Africa prepared for the deciding one-day international (although AB de Villiers started it straight after the Hamilton defeat). Perhaps the series was always destined to finish this way.
If either side hoped that they could finally move on from that semi-final two years ago - New Zealand are no doubt happier for the memories to linger - then they will have been disappointed. It was a frequent topic around the T20 two weeks ago; this time it has a little more relevance.
New Zealand are defending a record of seven straight home ODI series wins (and eight trophies counting the Chappell-Hadlee that was on offer for the World Cup match against Australia) and South Africa need to win to regain the No. 1 ranking that they lost after the Hamilton defeat. So who is the pressure on?
"Us for playing big moments, and New Zealand as home team with a very good record of maintaining home series'," Faf du Plessis said. "They would be very disappointed to not keep that record strong. For us it is the pressure of playing a big game and trying to come out on top."
Victory in the opening match of this series gave South Africa a run of 12 wins on the bounce, but New Zealand have pushed them harder than either an under-strength Australia or the overpowered Sri Lanka managed on home soil.
While the series win and No. 1 ranking are of great importance to South Africa, the significance of this match does not extend to that of a Champions Trophy or World Cup knockout game. Since that semi-final at Eden Park, South Africa have faced five deciding ODIs: against Bangladesh, New Zealand, India, England (coming from 2-0 down) and in the Caribbean triangular last year. They won the middle three of those, losing to Bangladesh and being knocked out in the final group match in West Indies.
That is a mixed bag of results, but winning in India and coming from 2-0 down in a five-match series is not to be sniffed at. However, it does suggest that for all the baggage of Eden Park there won't really be much learnt by the outcome, although du Plessis was willing to play his part and give the "pressure" value a tweak.
"Definitely from pressure point of view, since [the World Cup], this could be the one that has most value to it," he said. "Other series have gone 5-0, 5-0, so for the relevance of getting into a big moment, this is big in terms of that."
New Zealand's success rate in deciding matches since the World Cup, where it should be remembered they did not handle the pressure of the final very well, is a mixed bag. Wins against Zimbabwe, Australia and Pakistan (although the latter was effectively just a two-match series) have been countered by defeats at the hands of England, South Africa and India. While du Plessis did not attempt to downplay the decider much, Tim Southee acknowledged the World Cup semi-final but also how New Zealand never try to elevate one game above another.
"A few guys were involved but we are just looking forward to going out in a deciding match against the best side in the world," Southee said. "The excitement level lifts a little bit. But I think that was one of our strengths through the World Cup. No matter what stage we were at throughout that tournament, our preparation and levelness around the group didn't change. The guys will be naturally excited, there's a little bit more at stake, but we'll prepare the same way."