The death of Martin Crowe is the end of a cricket chapter, but he’d be remembered as New Zealand’s finest batsman ever produced by the country. Martin Crowe was a batsman of elegance, poise, and range, broke through into Test Cricket as a 19-year-old and in a very short time, he has emerged as the best young batsman in the world.
He was gifted with rare ability combined with elegance and determination. Martin Crowe belongs to a cricketing family, whose father had played first-class cricket for New Zealand. He becomes a rising star in the sky of New Zealand cricket, with his brilliant technique, burnished with defense and attack, a fervent competitor, and innate game sense.
He’s truly a great legend of New Zealand Cricket, had only been to missing out on a triple ton (299) against Sri Lanka in 1991 and lamented getting out and not scoring 300. He would have been the first New Zealander to make 300 in Test cricket, and later on, Brendon McCullum did it in 2015. Martin Crowe was indeed a central pillar of Black Caps. His 77 Tests and 143 ODI’s remain memorable for his prolific batting approach against high-quality pace and spin. He was the first captain to introduce an off-spinner who started bowling in the 1992 world cup. He also planned to attack bowlers with Mark Greatbatch in the batting department and off-spinner Dipak Patel in bowling.
In the 1992 World Cup, he engineered an exhilarating home run all the way to the semifinals and excellent figures in Test performances throughout the 1980s and early 90s. Several injuries, broken shin, back trouble, torn hamstrings, and knee injuries plagued him and end his career. He was part of 16 historic test victories in which his average was 55.50.
Martin Crowe was a complete mentor and guidebook for youngsters. By the end of his cricket career, he was the highest runs getter, century-maker, scorer, and most fifties for New Zealand. Martin Crowe left his impression with marvelous stroke-making, execution, and equanimity in his stance. He was gifted to play all cricketing shots but his signature stroke was being down the ground.
An ICC Hall of Fame inductee, he remained involved with New Zealand’s cricket and particularly enjoyed the New Zealand fairytale run to the Cricket World Cup final in 2015. He has dejectedly admitted that he might never live to see the next tournament. Martin Crowe has diagnosed with cancer in September 2014 with terminal double-hit lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer, he passed away aged 53 in Auckland surrounded by loved ones and family.
His entire community was deeply saddened by his death and hailed a magnificent cricketer and wonderful man who will be sadly missed. Indeed one of the true greats, and an inspiration for everyone.
Martin Crowe strokes one to the fence, New Zealand v Australia, February 1992
