Crowe inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

Auckland, Feb 28 (IANS) Martin Crowe, former New Zealand captain and player of the 1992 cricket World Cup, was Saturday inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Crowe became the third New Zealander, after Richard Hadlee and Debbie Hockley, and 79th overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, when he received his commemorative cap from International Cricket Council (ICC) director Wally Edwards.

The induction ceremony was held during the innings break of the New Zealand vs Australia Pool A match at Eden Park here and was also attended by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) president Stephen Boock.

“On behalf of my family, I am extremely privileged to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame joining Richard Hadlee and Debbie Hockley as the other New Zealanders to be awarded such a prestigious honour," said Crowe.

“Since I was eight years old, I was always reading and hearing about the great players who inspired the world over. In that, I have to thank my father Dave, for his mentoring and encouragement to my brother Jeff and I to play a game that he said of all sports ‘mirrored life itself’."

Crowe added: “I loved the story of how an English coach had told Dad that he would never make a Test cricketer. Thirty years later, he was able to nudge the same coach and reply, 'You were right, I never made a Test cricketer, I made two! Both Jeff and I wouldn’t have made it without the wonderful support of our mother Audrey and sister Deb. Cricket was our life, and remains so. We are grateful for what cricket has given our family.

“Thank you ICC and the voting members. Thank you to every teammate, coach and manager; you made it a wonderful journey. Mostly, thank you to all the fans and supporters across the world, especially here in New Zealand, who came to watch and cheer. It’s so fitting that this induction should be at Eden Park, a home where I made my international debut back in 1982 and where my parents came to watch for nearly 40 years together. I'm deeply moved and will remember this day for the rest of my life.”

Crowe made his international debut against Australia in Wellington in February 1982 at the age of 19. He retired 13 years later after playing 77 Tests in which he scored 5,444 runs at an average of 45.36.

This included 17 centuries, the most by a New Zealand cricketer while his 299 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in January 1991 stood as a national record until Brendon McCullum scored 302 against India in Wellington in February 2014.

Crowe also played 143 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in which he scored 4,704 runs at an average of 38.55 with four hundreds and 34 half-centuries. He played in three World Cups and led New Zealand to the semi-final of the 1992 edition where his side lost to Pakistan, the eventual champions, here. He captained New Zealand in 16 Tests and 44 ODIs.

Overall, Crowe played 247 first-class matches in a 17-year career where he scored 19,608 runs, with 71 centuries and 80 half-centuries. Apart from representing New Zealand, he also played for Auckland, Central Districts, Somerset and Wellington.