Triple M

Martin Crowe

Martin Crowe was considered one of New Zealand's best-ever right-handed batsmen. He scored 5,444 runs in 77 Tests at an average of 45.36 and 4,704 runs in one-day internationals, averaging 38.55. Crowe holds the record for the highest-ever innings by a New Zealander in Test match cricket (299), which he scored in a 467-run partnership with Andrew Jones in 1991 (itself a record at the time). Crowe captained New Zealand from 1990-93 and is credited for their success in the 1992 World Cup. He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985.

Sir Richard Hadlee

Sir Richard Hadlee MBE is considered one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and was the first-ever player to reach 400 Test wickets. Among the greatest all-rounders of the 1980s, Hadlee was a hard-hitting left-handed batsman, scoring 15 Test fifties and two Test centuries. From his debut in 1973 until his retirement in 1990, Hadlee took 431 Test wickets and 158 wickets in one-day internationals. His career highlight came in 1985 on New Zealand's tour of Australia when he took 9/52 in an innings, and helped New Zealand to its first series win on Australian soil with a personal haul of 33 wickets in three Tests. Hadlee was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1982 and was knighted for services to cricket in October 1990.

Mark Greatbatch

A solid left-handed Test batsman and one of the first one-day pinch hitters, Mark Greatbatch scored more than 2,021 runs in his 41 Tests for New Zealand, and 2,206 runs in 84 one-day internationals. In a match against Australia in Perth in 1989, Greatbatch was at the crease for 14 hours (3 days) to score 146 not out off 485 balls to sav e New Zealand from a certain defeat. After what is to this day considered one of the greatest ev er cricket centuries, Greatbatch received a standing ovation.

Danny Morrison

Danny Morrison was a genuine strike bowler with a useful outswinger who, for the first half of the 1990s, was ever present in the New Zealand side. Taking a total of 160 wickets in 48 Test matches and 126 wickets in 96 one-day internationals, he is one of only 21 players worldwide to have taken a ODI hat-trick. Sometimes referred to as 'The Duckman', Morrison once held the world record for the most ducks in Test match cricket (24). Since his retirement, he has remained inv olved in cricket through commentary positions, as well as coaching.

Dion Nash

Dion Nash was a right-arm fast medium bowler whose career spanned from 1992-2001. Taking 11 wickets and scoring a half-century in only his fifth test, at Lord's in 1994, Nash showed all the signs of hav ing a strong career as an all-rounder ahead of him. Injury plagued him throughout his career, however, and he became famous for his driv e and determination especially with his injury comeback in 1998. Nash scored 729 runs and took 93 wickets in 32 Test matches, with a Test match bowling best of 6/27. He also scored 624 runs and took 64 wickets in one-day internationals with best bowling figures of 4/38. Nash retired in 2001 and has been a New Zealand national selector since 2005.

Nathan Astle

Nathan Astle was an attacking batsman and lively all-rounder at Test and one-day level. He scored the fastest double century in Test history, off 153 balls, in 2002. In one-day international cricket, Astle was the only New Zealander to score ov er 10 centuries and is New Zealand's second highest run-scorer of all time. Astle was known for his freescoring batting, expert slip-catching, competent fielding and occasional partnershipbreaking medium pace bowling. Much to the surprise of many people, Astle retired in January 2007.

Dipak Patel

Dipak Patel was a stylish middle-order batsman who showed great promise at first-class level, scoring 1,234 runs at 38.56 and taking 42 wickets at 26.69 in his first two seasons playing for Auckland. Patel made his Test debut in 1987 against the West Indies and made his one-day international debut in the series that followed. His best batting and bowling scores came in 1992 when he was run out for 99 against England and took 6/50 against Zimbabwe. In an attempt to counteract the tactic of hitting over the in-field during the first 15 overs, Patel was brought in as opening bowler in the 1992 World Cup. This strategy proved successful and he was used in a similar role in following matches. Since his retirement in 1997, Patel has coached in both prov incial and Under 19 competitions.

Chris Cairns

Chris Cairns was one of the most colourful all-rounders and, in 2004, became only the sixth man to achieve the double of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs. A destructive batsman, who could hit big sixes out of the ground, and an intelligent fast-medium bowler, it is said that, had he remained injury-free, he could have rivaled the reputation of Ian Botham, who was considered by many to be Test cricket's greatest all-rounder. Cairns debuted, against Australia, in 1989 and throughout his eventful career created some of New Zealand's most memorable innings. Cairns formerly held the World Record for most sixes in Tests (87) and shared the New Zealand record for the fastest century in one-day internationals (75 balls). He is New Zealand's third highest wicket taker in Tests, his finest performance being 7/27 against the West Indies in 1998. He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2000. Upon his retirement, Cairn's Test batting average was 33.53 with 3,320 runs in just 62 matches and his Test bowling average was 29.40 with 218 wickets. In 215 one-day internationals he made a total of 4,950 runs with a 29.46 av erage and took 201 wickets, av eraging 32.80.