FAMILY and former teammates have remembered New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe as a uniquely gifted player, a cheeky prankster and a loving father. About 1 000 people filled Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral for Crowe’s funeral yesterday.

Addressing the mourners, former teammate Ian Smith described how hard he was hit upon realising Crowe was dying after receiving a text message in England. “It simply said: Hey Stockley, I want you to do my eulogy,” Smith said.
Martin Crowe tributes reflect the man, and show cricket at its best.
Smith recalled Crowe’s unique leadership, determination to win and his agony after a 299-run innings against Sri Lanka in 1991. “We all shared the dismay as he fell agonisingly one run short,” Smith said. “One word sums up Martin Crowe and all that he did to me: passion.”
He described Crowe, who died at 53, as a cheeky prankster who took pride in his ability to do impersonations of other player’s styles on days interrupted by rain. “There were a lot of things I admired about Martin Crowe, but more than anything his ability to relax.”
Crowe’s cousin, actor Russell Crowe was a pallbearer, and Martin’s brother Jeff joked that yesterday was maybe the only day Martin would be the most famous of the pair.
Speaking to the congregation, Jeff recalled Crowe’s cricket prowess from an early age, before describing him as someone with a “beautiful mind” who gave so much beyond cricket. “Perhaps in death he’ll get the recognition fitting the player and the person that he was,” he said.
He described finding out about his brother’s death while in Bangladesh and how it filled the news there, with parks Crowe had never seen holding moments of silence and tributes.
Video tributes from current New Zealand internationals Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, preparing for the World Twenty20 in India, were played with both saying they owed him a great deal.
Taylor recalled calling Crowe as a 20-year-old to seek his advice and that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. He revealed Crowe sent him an email after New Zealand had been well beaten in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane in November which left him questioning his future in the game.
“That page and a half of words made me really believe and have faith again,” said Taylor who made 290 in the next Test. A tearful Guptill said both he and Taylor were incredibly proud to be referred to as the sons Crowe never had.
Wife Lorraine Downes said Crowe was her soulmate: “My grief is huge as was my love for Marty,” she said.
New Zealand Cricket representatives at the funeral included chief David White, president Stephen Boock and board member Richard Hadlee. Former international teammates were among the mourners as was former Australian Test captain Greg Chappell, representing Cricket Australia.
Meanwhile, former Black Caps skippers Brendon McCullum and Stephen Fleming, who could not attend, opted instead to hold a minute of silence at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown along with former Australian cricketers Allan Border and Ricky Ponting.
Students from Crowe’s former school, Auckland Grammar, formed a guard of honour and others performed a rousing haka as Crowe’s coffin left the church. (www.Guardian)