The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed that New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe, who in undoubtedly one of the most stylish and elegant batsmen of his generation, would be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the Black Caps' Cricket World Cup match against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on 28 February.
When Crowe receives his commemorative cap from ICC Director and Chairman of Cricket Australia, Wally Edwards, during the innings break, he would become the 79th inductee into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and third New Zealand player after Sir Richard Hadlee and Debbie Hockley.
Crowe made his international debut against Australia in Wellington in February 1982 at the age of 19 and retired 13 years later after playing 77 Tests, scoring 5,444 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 last year in February.
Crowe also played 143 ODIs in which he scored 4,704 runs at an average of 38.55 with four centuries and 34 half-centuries. He played in three ICC Cricket World Cups, and led New Zealand to the semifinal of the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 where his side lost to eventual champion Pakistan in Auckland. However, his innovative captaincy and most runs in the series won him player of the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 award.
Crowe captained New Zealand in 16 Tests and 44 ODIs.
Overall, Crowe played 247 first-class matches in a 17-year career in which 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.
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Last week in Melbourne, former India captain Anil Kumble and Australia's Betty Wilson were inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
The process for the selection of players into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame started last year when the ICC Chairman invited all the living ICC Cricket Hall of Famers to send their nominations. The ICC Nominations Committee reduced the long-list to 10 men's and three women's cricketers.
The short-list was then sent to the Voting Academy, which included representatives of all the 10 Full Members, media representatives from all the 10 Full Members, Associate and Affiliate Member, women's cricket and FICA representatives as well as living ICC Hall of Famers. The ICC collated the nominations and forwarded the ballot papers to the auditors who provided the final results.