New Zealand's Chris Martin appeals for his 10th wicket against South Africa in their test at Eden Park 13 years ago, the last time the Black Caps won a test between the two countries.

It's been 13 long years, to the week, since the Black Caps beat South Africa, but the man who spearheaded them to that victory still has vivid memories of running through the Proteas batting order

New Zealand hasn't beaten South Africa in a test since March 22, 2004, when now-retired seamer Chris Martin captured 11 wickets in the match as the Black Caps won by nine wickets at Eden Park.

From 44 matches against South Africa, the Black Caps have only won four times and only once in New Zealand, with 25 losses and 15 draw, so that Eden Park win was one to be savoured.

DAVID UNWIN / FAIRFAX NZ. Former Black Caps cricketer Chris Martin bought Hokowhitu Four Square in Palmerston North in 2014.

In that test, Martin captured 6-76 as South Africa were rolled for 296, before the Black Caps posted 595 in reply, when Scott Styris made 170 and Chris Cairns scored 158.

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In their second dig South Africa scored 349, as Martin starred again with 5-104, which set New Zealand only 51 to win and they did that on the final morning, only losing one wicket.

"It was my first game back for maybe three years," Martin recalled. "I'd been dropped from the contract system and it was a chance to prove myself again."

The 42-year-old Martin said he'd been nervous going into the test against a South African side filled with century makers and bowlers who had taken lots of five-fors.

"It was probably one of the best test wins I've ever been involved in. A lot of guys in that side as well they hadn't beaten South Africa themselves in a test. A nice part of history."

Martin, one of the cult heroes of New Zealand cricket, said the crowd got behind them that day which helped, but he didn't remember it being a fiery wicket.

The South African side had Graeme Smith as a young captain, as well as batting greats Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten, and Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock, who have more than 800 test wickets between them.

"I remember them getting off to an amazing start and maybe being two down at the end of day one and Herschelle Gibbs and Smith played quite well. On the second morning it all changed because of the overhead conditions.

"Once the ball started to swing we ran through them pretty quickly."

South Africa had been 231-2 at stumps on day one after Gibbs and Smith had an opening stand of 177, but Martin went to work on day two.

"That set us up to bat on the pitch at the right time on day two and three and we scored our runs pretty quickly and got a bit of a lead."

"Cairns scored a hundred and Scott Styris scored a hundred and I took some wickets, which ended up being the most wickets I took in a test," Martin said.

Martin was usually in his element bowling to left handers, but it didn't matter who he bowled to that day. His match figures of 11 for 180 are still the best for New Zealand against South Africa.

"There were two or three players there I think they were uncomfortable facing me. One was Smith, one was Kallis and one was [Mark] Boucher. They kept going every series we played against them."

After the test win there were a few beers in the changing sheds afterward, but there was no cutting loose, especially for Martin having just come back into the side under new coach John Bracewell.

"It was the start of a long three weeks playing test cricket, so there were slightly muted celebrations, a bit quiet," Martin said. "But you could just tell from the guys that have played South African quite a few times, it meant more than most."

Martin said the public and the media got right behind them, which doesn't happen too often unless there's a truly special performance.

"That's probably the most proud moment; the sun coming down at Eden Park, people with a few beers chanting your name."

The win ranks right up there for Martin, because usually wins are hard to come by against teams like South Africa, England and Australia.

The first test in Hamilton had been a draw and South Africa won the third test in Wellington by six wickets, so the series was drawn 1-all.

These days Martin, the man known as Tommy or The Phantom, is busy running the Hokowhitu Four Square in Palmerston North, but still keeps a keen eye on test matches.

The present-day Black Caps are in need of a massive form reversal ahead of the third test against South Africa, which starts on Saturday.

New Zealand were thrashed by eight wickets in three days at Wellington last week and are 1-0 down in the series after a draw in game one in Dunedin.

"I think we have a history of competing. If there was, say 15 sessions in a test, we'd compete quite well in maybe 13 of them.

"When we lose a session we lose it really badly. When you see what happened on day three for us [in Wellington; two seriously bad sessions for us.

"Other teams, they limit the damage, they don't let the contest become so one sided so quickly. But South Africa do have that ability.

"They don't really have too many weak links."

Two of New Zealand's other test match wins over South Africa came in five-match series in 1962 which was drawn 2-all and the other was in 1994 in a 2-1 series loss.