Black Caps legend Crowe passes away

Auckland, March 3  Legendary New Zealand cricketer Martin Crowe passed away here on Thursday after fighting a long battle with cancer.

The 53-year-old was diagnosed in September 2014 with terminal Lymphoma. Crowe is survived by wife Lorraine Downes, daughter Emma and step-children Hilton and Jasmine. His funeral will be held on March 11 at Holy Trinity Cathedral here, stuff.co.nz reported.

The right-handed batsman played 77 Tests and 143 One-Day Internationals (ODI) for New Zealand. He scored 5,444 runs in Tests at an average of 45.36, including 17 centuries and 18 half-centuries with a top-score was 299. Crowe's ODI runs totalled 4,704 at an average of 38.55 with four centuries and 34 half-centuries and a best score of 107 not out.

Crowe also had a spell with English county side Somerset between 1984 and 1988, scoring 19,608 runs. He retired in 1996 with a knee injury and went on to become a television commentator and author.

Black Caps captain Kane Williamson said Crowe always had a positive message for the team.

Speaking at Auckland Airport on Thursday before the Black Caps flew to Dubai to prepare for the World Twenty20 in India, Williamson said Crowe's death was a shock and the team's thoughts were with the Crowe family.

"I did have little bits to do with Martin and he was always really positive and had some really nice messages to share and I certainly appreciated that from a legend of the game," Williamson said.