 Crowe batting in a charity game in 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Martin David Crowe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1962-09-22)22 September 1962 Henderson, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 March 2016(2016-03-03) (aged 53) Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-armmedium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Middle-order batsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Lorraine Downes (wife) Dave Crowe (father) Jeff Crowe (brother) Russell Crowe (cousin) Francis Jervis (great-grandfather) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 150) | 26 February 1982 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 12 November 1995 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 40) | 13 February 1982 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 26 November 1995 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979/80–1982/83 | Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983/84–1989/90 | Central Districts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1988 | Somerset | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990/91–1994/95 | Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:ESPNcricinfo,30 May 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Martin David CroweMBE (22 September 1962 – 3 March 2016) was a New Zealandcricketer, Test and ODI captain as well as a commentator. He played for theNew Zealand national cricket team between 1982 and 1995, and is regarded as one of the country's greatestbatsmen.[1]
Crowe made hisfirst-class debut forAuckland aged of 17, and hisTest debut for New Zealand aged 19. He was named aWisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985, and was credited as one of the "best young batsmen in the world".[2] Crowe was appointed New Zealand'scaptain in 1990, and led the team until 1993. In a Test againstSri 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 highestpartnership in Test cricket, putting on 467 runs withAndrew Jones. At the1992 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. By the time he finished his international career in 1995, he held the records for the most Test andOne Day International (ODI) runs scored for New Zealand.
After retiring from playing, Crowe remained involved in cricket as a writer and commentator. He was diagnosed withlymphoma in 2012, but was declared cancer-free the following year. However, the disease returned in 2014, and eventually led to his death in 2016.[3] He was also one of the drivers behind theICC World Test Championship concept which was initially proposed in 2009, but did not eventuate until 2019.[4][5][6]
Crowe was born inHenderson, a suburb ofAuckland, to a family of cricketers.[7] His father,Dave Crowe, played first-class cricket forCanterbury andWellington[8] and his older brother,Jeff Crowe, played Test cricket.[9] He was also the great-grandson of All BlackFrancis Jervis (his mother's maternal grandfather). One of the brothers' first cousins is actorRussell Crowe.[10] In 1968, Martin Crowe joined his father and brother at theCornwall Cricket Club, with which he maintained a lifelong connection.[11][12] AtAuckland Grammar School, which he attended from 1976 to 1980, he was deputyhead boy in his final year. He captained the school's cricket team, and also playedrugby union, as awing.[11]
Crowe made his first-class debut in January 1980, playing forAuckland againstCanterbury.[13] Aged 17 at the time, he scored 51 runs in his first innings, which was his team's highest score.[14] 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 ofLord's, simultaneously playing for theMarylebone Cricket Club.[11] Returning to New Zealand for the 1981–82 domestic season, he scored a maiden first-class century, making 150 runs against Canterbury.[15] Crowe switched toCentral Districts after the 1982–83 season. 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.[16] Crowe's highest score for the team (and in all New Zealand domestic cricket) was 242, made againstOtago in January 1990.[17] That season was his last for Central Districts, as he transferred toWellington prior to the 1990–91 season. In five seasons for Wellington, Crowe made only nine first-class appearances, the last of which came during the 1994–95 season.[13]
In 1984, Crowe signed to play Englishcounty cricket withSomerset.[13] He had great success in his firstCounty Championship season, finishing second behindVic Marks in Somerset's averages and placing sixth for overall runs scored.[18] However, Crowe did not return to the county until the1987 season.[19] In that year's County Championship, he placed third in the overall averages (behind teammateSteve Waugh andNorthamptonshire'sRoger Harper), and also placed third for overall runs scored (behindGraeme Hick andGraeme Fowler).[20] AgainstHampshire in the 1987Benson & Hedges Cup (alimited-overs competition), he scored 155 not out from 119 balls, which was the highest one-day score of his career.[21] Crowe returned for a final season at Somerset in 1988, but was able to play only a handful of matches.[13] From 48 matches for Somerset, he finished with a first-class batting average of 59.46.[16]
Crowe made his international debut for New Zealand in February 1982, in aOne Day International (ODI) game againstAustralia played at Auckland'sEden Park.[22] He made hisTest debut at the end of the month, playing against the same team atWellington'sBasin Reserve.[23] At the time, only six New Zealanders had made their Test debuts at a younger age.[24] At the1983 World Cup in England, Crowe played in all six of his team's matches, with onlyGeoff Howarth scoring more runs. His highest score was 97, made in the opening game againstEngland.[25] In January 1984,when England toured, Crowe scored his first Test century – 100 runs exactly.[26]
In 1985, Crowe made two scores of 188. The first came on a mid-yeartour of the West Indies, with Crowe at the crease for 462 balls and over nine hours.[27] The second came in an end-of-yeartour of Australia, in a match that was better known forRichard Hadlee's 15-wicket haul.[28] In a Testagainst the West Indies in February 1987, Crowe andJohn Wright put on 241 runs for the third wicket, setting a new third-wicket record for New Zealand.[29] Later in the year, Crowe played in the1987 World Cup in India. He finished as New Zealand's leading run-scorer, making three half-centuries from six matches, although his team struggled (winning only againstZimbabwe).[30]
Crowe was first appointed captain of New Zealand fora tour of Pakistan in October and November 1990.[31] Before that point, he had been regarded as "captain designate" toJohn Wright, who was nearing the end of his international career.[32] Crowe's second series as captain came in early 1991,when Sri Lanka toured. In the first Test of the series, played in Wellington, Crowe scored 299 runs in his team's second innings, setting a new record for the highest score by a New Zealander.[a][b][33] He was at the crease for 523 balls and over ten hours, and scored 29 fours and three sixes.[34] Crowe andAndrew Jones (who scored 186) put on 467 runs for the third wicket, setting a new record for the highestpartnership in Test cricket.[c][35] The pair helped New Zealand, behind by 323 runs on the first innings, to score 671/4 at the end of the final day's play, which at the time was the highest score in the third innings of a Test.[36]
At the1992 World Cup, which New Zealand co-hosted with Australia, Crowe finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 456 runs, and was named player of the tournament. One of his highlights was an innings of 100 not out in the opening match against Australia, which New Zealand won by 37 runs.[37] In the tournament's group stages, New Zealand lost only a single game, againstPakistan. They topped the table, qualifying for a home semi-final against the same team (their first finals appearance since the1979 tournament). Crowe chose to bat first, and scored 91 runs from 83 balls to help his team to a total of 262/7. However, when Pakistan batted, he chose to stay off the field and rest an injured hamstring, with John Wright taking over on the field. Pakistan won the match by four wickets.[38] Crowe largely blamed himself for his team's loss, and in a 2014 article said that his decision not to take the field was "a curse that had tormented me for over two decades".[39]
Crowe's last series as captain of New Zealand camewhen Australia toured in February and March 1993. He had struggled with injuries for several years, and was replaced byKen Rutherford to allow him to concentrate on his form. However, he returned as captain for one final match in November 1993, the first game ofa series against Australia.[23] In total, Crowe captained New Zealand in sixteen Tests, winning only two.[31] He had a much better record in ODIs, with the team winning 21 out of 44 matches under his captaincy.[40] Crowe was described by broadcasterBryan Waddle as a "proactive rather than reactive" leader, who was "always prepared to be innovative".[41] He had a troubled relationship with the media throughout his captaincy, in one case using a press conference to confront a journalist who had published an article implying he hadAIDS.[42]
In his first series after giving up the captaincy,a 1994 tour of England, Crowe scored consecutive centuries, making 142 atLord's and 115 atOld Trafford.[23] His series tally of 380 runs was the second-highest of his career.[43] Crowe continued playing for several more seasons, eventually retiring aftera tour of India in October and November 1995.[23] He scored his final international hundred in the first ODI of the tour, aged 33.[44] Crowe finished with 5,444 Test runs and 4,704 ODI runs, both New Zealand records at the time.[45][46] At the time of his retirement, only Sir Richard Hadlee had played more Tests for New Zealand.[47] Crowe held the record for the most Test centuries by a New Zealander at the time, finishing with seventeen (including one against every Test-playing team butSouth Africa).[48]
In the1992 New Year Honours, Crowe was appointed aMember of the Order of the British Empire, for services to cricket.[49] On 28 February 2015, Crowe was inducted into theICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He was inducted in a ceremony during the lunch break of New Zealand's win against Australia during the2015 World Cup.[50]
Crowe made 21centuries in international cricket, 17 in Tests and 4 in One Day Internationals. He scored his first Test century againstEngland, also at the Basin Reserve on 20 January 1984, scoring 100.[51] He scored his final Test century, also against England atOld Trafford,Manchester on 30 June 1994,[52] scoring 115. He played his final Test match againstIndia at theBarabati Stadium,Cuttack on 8 November 1995,[53] having played 77 matches. His highest score in Tests is 299, scored againstSri Lanka at the Basin Reserve on 31 January 1991.[54]
He scored his first ODI century againstEngland, also at Eden Park, scoring 105not out.[55] He scored his final ODI century againstIndia at theKeenan Stadium,Jamshedpur on 15 November 1995,[56] scoring 107not out, his highest score in ODIs. He played his final ODI in the final game of the same series against India at theVidarbha Cricket Association Ground,Nagpur on 26 November 1995,[57] having played 143 matches.
| No. | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |  England | Basin Reserve,Wellington | 20 January 1984 | [51] |
| 2 | 188 |  West Indies | Bourda,Georgetown | 6 April 1985 | [59] |
| 3 | 188 |  Australia | The Gabba,Brisbane | 8 November 1985 | [60] |
| 4 | 137 | Australia | Lancaster Park,Christchurch | 28 February 1986 | [61] |
| 5 | 106 | England | Lord's, London | 24 July 1986 | [62] |
| 6 | 119 | West Indies | Basin Reserve,Wellington | 20 February 1987 | [63] |
| 7 | 104 | West Indies | Eden Park,Auckland | 27 February 1987 | [64] |
| 8 | 137 | Australia | Adelaide Oval | 11 December 1987 | [65] |
| 9 | 143 | England | Basin Reserve,Wellington | 3 March 1988 | [66] |
| 10 | 174 |  Pakistan | Basin Reserve,Wellington | 10 February 1989 | [67] |
| 11 | 113 |  India | Eden Park,Auckland | 22 February 1990 | [68] |
| 12 | 108not out | Pakistan | Gaddafi Stadium,Lahore | 18 October 1990 | [69] |
| 13 | 299 |  Sri Lanka | Basin Reserve,Wellington | 31 January 1991 | [54] |
| 14 | 140 |  Zimbabwe | Harare Sports Club | 7 November 1992 | [70] |
| 15 | 107 | Sri Lanka | Sinhalese Sports Club,Colombo | 6 December 1992 | [71] |
| 16 | 142 | England | Lord's, London | 16 June 1994 | [72] |
| 17 | 115 | England | Old Trafford,Manchester | 30 June 1994 | [52] |
| No. | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 105not out | England | Eden Park,Auckland | 25 February 1984 | [55] |
| 2 | 104 | India | Carisbrook,Dunedin | 1 March 1990 | [74] |
| 3 | 100not out | Australia | Eden Park,Auckland | 22 February 1992 | [75] |
| 4 | 107not out | India | Keenan Stadium,Jamshedpur | 15 November 1995 | [56] |
After his retirement, Crowe helped develop a local variation of cricket, called "Cricket Max",[76] and became a television commentator and pundit. He was a board member of theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Football Club of whichRussell Crowe is part owner. He was roped in as the CEO of the management team ofRoyal Challengers Bangalore, a team in theIndian Premier League. Midway through the season the ownerVijay Mallya expressed displeasure over the team and its performance in the league by sacking its bowling coachVenkatesh Prasad and mentorCharu Sharma blaming them for dismal team performance. Later in October of the same year, Crowe parted ways with the team and brought inRay Jennings, the former coach of the South African National Cricket Team as the head coach of the team. Sources suggested that Mallya was unhappy with the team he had and held Crowe and his management team responsible for the debacle.[77] He has also mentored current New Zealand batsmen,Martin Guptill,Ross Taylor andKane Williamson. In 2014, he predicted and named Kane Williamson,Virat Kohli,Steve Smith andJoe Root in the young Fab Four list for test cricket.[78]
On 19 May 2011, Crowe commented onTwitter that he wanted to improve his fitness by setting a goal to play first-class cricket again. He cited that he was only 3 first-class matches away from 250 matches, and 392 runs short of 20,000 runs.[79]
Crowe took his first step to playing first-class cricket by playing at club level at the age of 49 (he was due to debut much earlier, but was delayed due to a groin injury). He played for the Cornwall reserve grade team, captaining them and batting at No.3 against Papatoetoe in a second-division club match inAuckland,[80] the same club where his father played grade cricket.[81]
On 15 October 2012, it was revealed that Crowe had been diagnosed withlymphoma.[82] He blamed the illness on a failing immune system, which had been weakened by various illnesses during certain tours, including salmonella poisoning in Sri Lanka in 1984.[83]
On 5 June 2013, Crowe announced that he was free of cancer onCampbell Live, but he would cut his ties with cricket, as he was a self-proclaimed "recovering addict to cricket, much like an alcoholic".[84] Crowe says he wore a 'mask' from the age of 22, due to high expectations, but at the age of 51 was happy to 'look at the real me'.[85]
In 2014, Crowe announced that the lymphoma had returned and subsequently indicated that his chances of survival beyond 12 months were less than 5% and also of his wish to see the2015 Cricket World Cup[86] in February and March 2015.[87] He also attended the2015 Cricket World Cup Final between Australia and New Zealand at theMelbourne Cricket Ground which in fact was his last public appearance.[88]
Crowe died of complications from the disease in Auckland on 3 March 2016.[89] His funeral was held in Holy Trinity Cathedral in a Christian ceremony inParnell,Auckland.[90]
In 1991, Crowe married Simone Curtice, an interior designer. They separated five years later, in 1996, and Crowe later entered into a relationship with Suzanne Taylor, with whom he had one daughter.[91][92][93] He and Taylor separated in 2005.[94] In 2009, Crowe married for a third time, toLorraine Downes, a formerMiss Universe. They remained married until his death.[95]
A 2012 article byMark Nicholas described him as "upright, orthodox and immensely strong" at the wicket, and praised the "speed and grace of the footwork" and "perfect head position". Nicholas thought the elegance of Crowe's batting was at odds with his physical size – he was "a big man in a small man's game".[96] Writing in his retirement, Crowe emphasised the importance of instinct in batting, and the need to avoid premeditating a shot.[97]
During his early career, Crowe was also often used as a "bits and pieces bowler", with his "lively in-swingers" faring especially well in English conditions.[98] He was regarded as an "outstanding" fieldsman,[99] and againstZimbabwe in the1987 World Cup dismissedDavid Houghton with an outstretched diving catch that was said to have won New Zealand the game.[100] As a captain, Crowe was known for his use of innovative techniques, most notably opening the bowling with a spinner,Dipak Patel, at the 1992 World Cup. He often had highly developed bowling and fielding plans, regularly rotating his bowlers and changing his fields to put pressure on opposing batsmen.[101] Former Pakistan captainRameez Raja described Crowe as "an imaginative leader who maximised his team's potential and resources by thoughtful captaincy and out-of-the-box tactics".[102] Crowe was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2015[103] and the NZC Hall of Fame in 2024 as one of the First XI.[104]
Upon his death, Crowe was eulogised inThe Guardian as "not just one of New Zealand’s greatest ever cricketers, but one of the most elegant batsmen the world has yet seen".[105] In their tributes following his death, former Pakistan internationalWasim Akram called him the best batsman he ever bowled to, former Australia fast bowlerCraig McDermott compared him toGreg Chappell, calling him "a beautiful, elegant batsman and a terrific stroke player", while former India internationalSanjay Manjrekar called him his favourite batsman and wrote that "Sachin & me actually copied him."[106]
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | New Zealand's Sportsman of the Year 1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by -- | World Cup Player of the Series 1992 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | New Zealand national cricket captain 1990/1–1992/3 | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| National | |
