Cricket broadcaster Laura McGoldrick has leapt to the defence of husband Martin Guptill, after the Blackcaps batsman continued his poor run of form at the Cricket World Cup.
In New Zealand's rain-affected semi-final against India on Tuesday, the opener poked and prodded for just one run off 14 balls, before offering a regulation slips catch to rival captain Virat Kohli.
The lapse extended his struggles during the tournament - Guptill has scored just 167 runs over nine matches at an average of 20.87. Seventy-three of those runs came against Sri Lanka in the opening match more than a month ago.
Four years ago, he was New Zealand's leading runscorer, as they progressed to the final against Australia. Guptill's career one-day average is 42.61 runs.
Those frustrations clearly got to him against India. He stormed off the pitch and threw his bat away, as he entered the team locker-room.
TV coverage showed him fuming, as he sat alone inside.
But in a radio interview, McGoldrick insisted her hubby was trying his heart out.
"A lot of boys were very nervous this morning, when they got on the bus," she said. "Guppy was nervous, but excited, but unfortunately things didn't go the way Guppy would have liked.
"It's not for the lack of trying. He's worked incredibly hard, but unfortunately, that's just the way sport goes sometimes.
"It's very hard, especially when you're opening and you have to see off the new-ball bowlers. India have some of the best new-ball bowlers in the world."
During her career, McGoldrick has had to tread a blurred line between impartial journalist and doting wife, often interviewing her husband as part of her job as a Sky Sport cricket host.
She's openly celebrated his success - and kept a discreet distance during the failures, at least publicly.
"You just have to love and support him," she told The Hits. "Put your arm around him and go, 'You know, it's going to be OK'.
"And it is going to be OK. My husband is one of the best in the world and I think I'm allowed to say that - I'm not totally biased."
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