Martin Crowe: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

Martin Crowe Scratches His 14 Year Itch

What he said:

“Well, people think I’m having a mid-life crisis. And I can only say ‘too right!’”

New Zealand’s finest batsman ever, Martin Crowe, returns to club cricket in his 50th year.

Crowe says:

“Call it a silly little selfish challenge, just like someone trying to run a marathon at 49. Well, I can’t do that because of my knees so I’m going to have a bit of fun with a bat in my hand again.”

Crowe terms his comeback “a long-shot experiment to see if a 50 year-old can still wield a bat.”

The Kiwi hopes to turn out for the MCC against English county champions Lancashire in Abu Dhabi next year.

“That game’s being played with a pink ball, which I’m a big supporter of as a member of the MCC World Committee, who have been driving the idea for three years. To be selected would make all the hard work worthwhile for me.”

Crowe feels up to fresh challenges:

“I was bored. When you reach 50, you’ve got to think about doing things to keep on top of your health. I was tired of the gym; I don’t swim, cycle, climb or run, so I thought ‘why not do something I love?’”

The maestro feels that he still retains the hand-eye co-ordination of his heyday.

Actually, I feel just as good as a batsman now. I’m playing late, playing straight and timing it. It’s just a case of how the body can cope with a long innings; the fatigue factor just kicks in a lot quicker.

But I had my hand-eye co-ordination and balance tested by the optometrist who did it back in 1992 and he’s found I’m 20 per cent faster than back then. I’m finishing every session with a smile on my face.

Here’s one cricketing great who has no complaints about the improvements in technology:

“Today’s equipment? Unbelievable. I dread to think of the damage that Ian Botham and Viv Richards would have done with them.”

What Martin Crowe really meant:

“Well, at least, I’m not spending it all on a sports car and a fresh wife (Crowe is married to former Miss Universe Lorraine Downes).Isn’t that customary? “

What Martin Crowe definitely didn’t: