RIP Martin Crowe
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<p>Echo the sentiments that knowing this was going to happen sooner than later doesn't comfort at all</p>
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<p>By christ he was a beautiful batsman. Gower, Mark Waugh and others had their features but if you wanted to play exactly like anyone, it was Crowe</p>
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<p>Random memories:</p>
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<p>He was fricken fast fast between the wickets. Him and Dean Jones changed that aspect of the game</p>
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<p>He used to sweat so much in Australia, drenched shirt</p>
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<p>He looked more like a rugby player up close, big guy</p>
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<p>There was a rain delay at eden park one game. He was working for Sky, the rain stopped and he commissioned a helicopter to dry the ground (I don't think this is urban legend)</p>
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<p>His bouncers were a beast. Short run and very Malcolm marshall esque</p>
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<p>Duncan Fearnely magnums rocked!</p>
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<p>Taking a catch at second slip and haring across the ground behind Smithy in celebration</p>
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<p>Those tons in England in 94 on one leg, wow</p>
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<p>He actually played a huge amount of balls through leg side, not disimilar to Steve SMith and Kane in the set up to play middle stump balls through leg, except Hogan didn't nudge them he swatted them with a full swing</p>
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<p>That leaning back cut shot off spinners was made to look far too easy</p>
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<p>"He chuckled at the rise of 20/20". Well he pretty much discovered the potential and the audience drivers</p>
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<p>His admissions of forgiveness and turning the other cheek in life were brilliant signs of character. Easy to forget we, as a country, put the old tall poppy thrasher in high gear for Marty. Allegations of aloofness, and being out of touch with the team were rife...and shown to be shithouse too</p>
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<p>His articles in cricinfo were just the type of journalism we on the fern desire</p>
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<p>Let's keep his memory and achievements alive for the newer generations just like our oldies did with Don Clarke, Colin Meads etc</p>
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<p>Rest in Peace great man</p> -
<p>Have had to drive a bit this avo so interesting listening to a few folk on talkback saying he wasn't the easiest guy to get along with. Issues with the establishment and other players and at times a bit overly critical of the shot that may have got a batsman out.</p>
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<p>Man. Everyone knew he was living on borrowed time but fuck, that hasn't stopped this from stinging like hell.</p>
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<p>The man was so fucking talented, whether it was with the bat, in the commentators box, writing articles or mentoring our Rossco and Guppy. And a couple of those he was doing at the same time he was fighting cancer. He's left a huge hole in NZ sport and cricket all around the world.</p> -
<p>Hogans best articles on cricinfo.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/977971.html'>http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/977971.html</a></p> -
<p>With alot of talk re Crowes death going back to the 92 CWC, and that devastating semi final loss to Pakistan.</p>
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<p>Heres something to cheer us up, Inzamam's greatest hits of run outs..</p>
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<p>If only he showed us this talent in 92. * Wait he did, but by then it was all too late.</p> -
<p>haha what a fat potato</p>
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<p>The best one is where hes hit on the foot and just lies on the ground, totally ignoring the fact his partner is running towards him (you know, like they do in cricket)</p>
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<p>the best one? how do you choose?! the one where he turns an easy two into a one and then sells his partner out by just going "fuck running 2" was a favourite for me. </p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="562131" data-time="1456988537">
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<p>the best one? how do you choose?! the one where he turns an easy two into a one and then sells his partner out by just going "fuck running 2" was a favourite for me. </p>
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<p>They are all hilariously funny, but just seeing him taking a yorker to the foot and just walking a couple of steps then 'falling over' made me piss myself with laughter. (much needed today)</p> -
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<div>Grant Fox recalls 40 years of friendship with emotional tribute to Martin Crowe
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<p>Considered one of the greatest cricketers to ever play the game, New Zealand legend Martin Crowe has died, aged 53.</p>
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<p>Perched side-by-side as fresh-faced teenagers, it began with a Fox and a Crowe on a pew.</p>
<p>Forty years ago Grant Fox first met Martin Crowe at Auckland Grammar School.</p>
<p>Long before his exploits at first five-eighth for the All Blacks, Fox was a farm boy from the Waikato who had moved up to board. Crowe travelled in from out of zone in Titirangi.</p>
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<p>Both young men knew few others and immediately hit it off. As their friendship grew over the years to come, Fox hoped they would be mates for life. </p>
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<p>"We were third form sitting at Auckland Grammar School. We got chatting and we've been mates ever since. It didn't take me long to work out there was this genius cricketer in the making," Fox recalled, speaking with a lump in his throat while digesting the fact Crowe's battle with cancer had come to an end on Thursday, aged 53. </p>
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<div><img src="http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/a/5/t/3/4/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1a5r3f.png/1456989027573.jpg" title="" alt="1456989027573.jpg"><div>Crowe (top) with Fox in school together</div>
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<p>Like many others, Fox fielded a difficult phone call to receive the news but was happy Crowe would not suffer any longer.</p>
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<p>"He was my mate. We're not going to be able to play golf and drink red wine together any more. I find it hard to believe, really. I was hoping we'd grow old together telling lies. It's sadly not to be."</p>
<p>Most remember Crowe for his cricketing exploits; Fox knew his many other sporting talents, too.</p>
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<p>"I remember this guy that was fiercely competitive and immensely talented. He was intense. He was focused and he was emotional. When you think about people that are geniuses at sport, they're the traits they have."</p>
<p>Crowe and Fox bonded through sport. They made the finals of the junior and senior tennis championships as a school doubles pairing - "we took real serious tennis players to the wire both times" - and linked on the rugby field.</p>
<p>One year after making the first XI football team Crowe turned his had to rugby, starring on the right wing for the first XV that featured Fox at first-five.</p>
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<p>Crowe was on track to break Grammar's try-scoring record, only to damage his knee which would trouble him late in his cricketing career three games from the end of the season. </p>
<p>"He knew how to sniff out an opportunity," Fox said. "Just like cricket he had a great feel for what needed to be done, where he needed to be and where the space was. He had great vision on the right wing."</p>
<p>Fox also experienced a different "Marty" than the one some remember. </p>
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<p>"He was caring, compassionate, kind and generous to a fault. That's the side that's not in the public arena.</p>
<p>"Particularly in the last couple of years when he was battling he cared more about those around him than about himself. He was stoic and he dealt with this with dignity.</p>
<p>"The remarkable thing for me early on he said he was at peace with it. That will stick with me forever. How are you at peace when you've basically been given a death sentence?"</p>
<p>Along with Crowe's wife Lorraine Downes and daughter Emma, Fox saw him show incredible strength of character to keep fighting.</p>
<p>"It was like trying to overcome the fast bowlers or spinners who were throwing stuff at him. He took to his Lymphoma the same way and fought till the better end."</p>
<p>Death evokes reflection. In Crowe's case his passing has clearly been felt around the world. For Fox, one vivid memory is a test in Christchurch where rain forced a break in play in a match involving a Stephen Fleming-led New Zealand team.</p>
<p>"They went back and showed highlights of a test century he scored at Lords - his final century there. The grace, poise, class and pure batsmanship... with no disrespect to those who were at Lancaster Park that day, it was clear Crowe was a cut above. It's then you just remember how good he was.</p>
<p>"Sometimes you don't realise what you've got until it's not there any more."</p>
<p>Those sentiments ring true today.</p>
<p><strong> - Stuff</strong></p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Virgil" data-cid="562058" data-time="1456963633"><p><a class="bbc_url" href="
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Was there a better cover drive in cricket?</p></blockquote>
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Awesome vid Virgil.<br><br>
The early stuff was a parade of memories for a young booboo ...
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Mate of mine wrote a lovely tribute on Facebook I thought worth sharing:<br><br><br>
For getting beaten up by Lillee and Thomson as a 19 year old but finishing with an average of 48 against Australia. For making 100s against Imran and Marshall and Wasim and Waqar in tough conditions and when they were in their pomp. For walking into a press conference after scoring what should have been the country's first 300 to tackle homophobic rumours from the chattering classes head on. For tossing the ball to an off-spinner to open the World Cup and seeing what happened. For basically envisioning 20/20 ten years before it started in earnest. <br><br>
And for that glorious cover drive, especially at Lord's, and generally for setting the standard, as a batsman of whom New Zealand could be proud in the desperately dire post-Hadlee era. For all these things, and for so much more - Martin Crowe, you'll be missed. -
I grew up in a house where Crowe was loathed. I always loved his play though and he was a true hero of mine. <br><br>
I am saddened, truly saddened by his passing. To me this hurts more than Lomu. Im not sure why but I just never expected he would go. I thought there'd be some 11th hour saviour. Some miracle cure.<br><br>
He did great things and it was a great pleasure to have watched him play when I was a kid. RIP.<br><br>
Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Virgil" data-cid="562130" data-time="1456988433">
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<p>The best one is where hes hit on the foot and just lies on the ground, totally ignoring the fact his partner is running towards him (you know, like they do in cricket)</p>
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<p>Mr spud head was actually quite slim in his earlier years. But always about as agile and athletic as a bag of cement.</p> -
<p>Stats fans chew on this.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/977995.html'>http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/977995.html</a></p>
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<p>Over ten years, from the start of the 1984-85 season, when Crowe established himself after a difficult beginning in Tests, until the end of the 1994 English summer, the final major flowering of his sumptuous batting craft, he averaged 53.94 in 57 Tests. He made significant or definitive contributions to most of New Zealand's Test victories, and scored hundreds and averaged at least 45 against all of the seven nations he played against.<br><br>
Of those who played 12 or more Tests in that time, only Brian Lara (62.61, in 16 Tests at the start of his career) averaged more, and only Sachin Tendulkar (50.57, playing in the latter half of Crowe's prime decade) also topped the 50 mark.<br><br>
The list of bowlers New Zealand encountered during Crowe's peak years highlights the scale of his achievements with the bat, all carried out with a style that seemed to merge timeless classical elegance and precision with modern power and experimentation.</p>
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<p>I was struck watching the Crowe video highlights last night by how unusual his batting style was - it was distinctively Crowe in the way he seemed to move his whole body through his drives rather than plant the feet then play the shot. He did combine elegance with brute force in a way that few batsmen have.<br>
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Awesome KP I'm sure I've posted similar stats over the years regarding the main part of Crowes career. <br>
You have to wonder too how much better his record would be if he wasn't fighting illness and injury most of his career. Not too mention carry a fairly ordinary NZ side.
