New Blackcaps recruit Kyle Jamieson was about to hit the nets with the Auckland Aces, when selector Gavin Larsen told him to pack his bags for Melbourne.
"I was busy padding up and my phone was going off," recalls the towering pace bowler. "I took that call and then got stuck into some T20 training.
"Dad has been a big part of my cricket growing up, so I made sure I called him first. He was pretty stoked, so it was cool to share that moment with him."
Jamieson will need to swiftly turn his dial from Twenty20 to test, as he prepares to join the New Zealand squad for a potential debut in the second match of the series against Australia. He'll replace injured bowler Lockie Ferguson, who has returned home with a calf injury.
The 24-year-old been on the periphery of national team for some time, playing for New Zealand A and participating at NZ Cricket's winter camps.
In 25 first-class matches, he has taken 72 wickets at an average of 27.93 runs, including best figures of 8/74 for Canterbury against Auckland at Rangiora in November 2016.
Debuts don't come much bigger than a Boxing Day test against the Australians on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Jamieson confesses to a mixture of nerves and excitement, as he considers the prospect.
"It's a great challenge. I think most kids growing up would say a Boxing Day test against the Aussies would be pretty special.
"I'm not too sure how many more will happen during my cricket lifespan, so to be a part of that would be amazing."
Jamieson says he's received no indication about whether he'd be part of the match-day XI in Melbourne and while opener Trent Boult's return to full fitness may scupper those chances, he insists there'd still be plenty to gain from the experience alone.
"I haven't thought much past hopping on that plane. I guess, for me, it's just a little out of nowhere and it's such a cool learning opportunity, whether I play or not… just to be a sponge and soak up the whole atmosphere and the whole trip in itself."
At 2.03m (6ft 8in) tall, Jamieson offers the New Zealand attack a chance to return fire against the Australians with some bounce and pace of their own on what promises to be a hard and fast MCG pitch.
"I have to try to make the most of that [bounce]. It's a gift that I've got from my parents and I'd be silly not to make the most of it."
"It's all about putting a plan in pace for certain conditions and batsman, and doing your role for the team, whatever that looks like for me - I'm happy to do that."
