Nathan Astle, a world class batsman, record holder, and a New Zealand cricket great in every respect. He's always scored big when it mattered, and it always paid off. He was not one to shy away from a challenge, be it scoring in India or chasing a huge total in the final innings. He's been a reliable anchorman for New Zealand, but had enough attack power to change the course of a match. Again a converted ODI opener like Ganguly or Tendulkar, he did the job just right. Even without the bat, he contributed a lot, especially on the field (as seen in one freak catch) and he was one part-time bowler who always made it count.
The innings I remember best are his century in Nagpur in the early 90's, which set the Indians a next-to-impossible 349, when they were yet to score a triple hundred even in India. Then came this century in the final ODI in the series against England, which won the match easily. And of course, everyone remembers that record-breaking double century which almost changed a one-sided match into a close one. He was special. He will be missed.
