New Zealand Test cricket legend Martin Crowe sent a message to Martin Guptill, after the batsman hit a brilliant 237 not-out against West Indies in their World Cup quarterfinal clash, but it wasn't for the usual 'Oh My God' term but for a more personal 'Oh My Gap' appreciation.
Guptill hit an unbeaten 237 against the West Indies in their quarterfinal tie in Wellington on Saturday, the second highest ODI score behind Rohit Sharma's 264-run knock for India against Sri Lanka last year. It was also the highest individual score by a batsman in a World Cup.
Crowe, who is battling cancer, had sent Guptill a text of encouragement before the West Indies game and a congratulatory one after, which he claims said 'OMG', Stuff.co.nz reported.
Crowe said that although OMG could also be read as 'Oh Marty Guptill' but insisted that actually it meant 'Oh My Gap'. He said that they had talked a lot over the last few months about not looking at fielders, about looking at gaps.
The former Test great claimed that the more the mind is focused on gaps the more it would find them. He said that he calls Guptill 'gap easy' to just remind the batsman daily that that is his role.
He insisted that Guptill is a good story because firstly he had the courage to approach someone for help, in this instance, Crowe, and secondly he was prepared to strip his game back to the bare bones at the age of 28.
Crowe claimed that it is a courageous move to rebuild at 28, adding that Guptill wants to be a successful Test batsman and he made the right call at the right time.