Martin Crowe

Martin David Crowe (22 September 1962 – 3 March 2016) was a New Zealand cricketer, Test and ODI captain as well as a commentator.

In 1968, Martin Crowe joined his father and brother at the Cornwall Cricket Club, with which he maintained a lifelong connection.

At Auckland Grammar School, which he attended from 1976 to 1980, he was deputy head boy in his final year.

He captained the school's cricket team, and also played rugby union, as a wing.

He was also the great-grandson of All Black Francis Jervis (his mother's maternal grandfather).

Crowe made his first-class debut in January 1980, playing for Auckland against Canterbury.

Aged 17 at the time, he scored 51 runs in his first innings, which was his team's highest score.

In 1981, having been named New Zealand's Young Cricketer of the Year, Crowe was given the opportunity to spend six months on the ground staff of Lord's, simultaneously playing for the Marylebone Cricket Club.

Returning to New Zealand for the 1981–82 domestic season, he scored a maiden first-class century, making 150 runs against Canterbury.

He played for the New Zealand national cricket team between 1982 and 1995, and is regarded as one of the country's greatest batsmen.

Crowe made his first-class debut for Auckland at the age of 17, and his Test debut for New Zealand at the age of 19.

Crowe switched to Central Districts after the 1982–83 season.

Crowe made his international debut for New Zealand in February 1982, in a One Day International (ODI) game against Australia played at Auckland's Eden Park.

He made his Test debut at the end of the month, playing against the same team at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

At the time, only six New Zealanders had made their Test debuts at a younger age.

His career for Central Districts was limited by his international duties, but in 32 first-class appearances (from 1983 to 1990), he averaged 68.72, with 13 centuries.

At the 1983 World Cup in England, Crowe played in all six of his team's matches, with only Geoff Howarth scoring more runs.

In 1984, Crowe signed to play English county cricket with Somerset.

He had great success in his first County Championship season, finishing second behind Vic Marks in Somerset's averages and placing sixth for overall runs scored.

He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985, and was credited as one of the "best young batsmen in the world".

However, Crowe did not return to the county until the 1987 season.

In that year's County Championship, he placed third in the overall averages (behind teammate Steve Waugh and Northamptonshire's Roger Harper), and also placed third for overall runs scored (behind Graeme Hick and Graeme Fowler).

Against Hampshire in the 1987 Benson & Hedges Cup (a limited-overs competition), he scored 155 not out from 119 balls, which was the highest one-day score of his career.

Crowe returned for a final season at Somerset in 1988, but was able to play only a handful of matches.

From 48 matches for Somerset, he finished with a first-class batting average of 59.46.

Crowe was appointed New Zealand's captain in 1990, and led the team until 1993.

Crowe's highest score for the team (and in all New Zealand domestic cricket) was 242, made against Otago in January 1990.

That season was his last for Central Districts, as he transferred to Wellington prior to the 1990–91 season.

In a Test against Sri Lanka in 1991, he scored 299 runs, breaking the record for the highest score by a New Zealander.

In the same match, he also set a new record for the highest partnership in Test cricket, putting on 467 runs with Andrew Jones.

At the 1992 World Cup, which New Zealand co-hosted with Australia, Crowe was named the player of the tournament, and led his team to a semi-final.

In five seasons for Wellington, Crowe made only nine first-class appearances, the last of which came during the 1994–95 season.

By the time he finished his international career in 1995, he held the records for the most Test and One Day International (ODI) runs scored for New Zealand.

After retiring from playing, Crowe remained involved in cricket as a writer and commentator.

He was also one of the main brains of initiating the ICC World Test Championship concept which was initially proposed in 2009 but did not materialise until 2019.

Crowe was born in Henderson, a suburb of Auckland, to a family of cricketers.

His father, Dave Crowe, played first-class cricket for Canterbury and Wellington and his older brother, Jeff Crowe, played Test cricket.

One of the brothers' first cousins is actor Russell Crowe.

He was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but was declared cancer-free the following year.

However, the disease returned in 2014, and eventually led to his death in 2016.