#3 Mark Greatbatch
http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/PLAYERS/NZ/G/GREATBATCH_MJ_05001882/
Mark Greatbatch has a pretty ordinary one day record with an average of 28 and just two centuries to his name. But he really turned the heat on in World Cup 1992, the first real tournament I watched properly on t.v.
With scores of 68 vs South Africa, 63 vs WI, he had started the WC in style.
When the match vs India came along, we knew two things, Dipak Patel was this Indian connection guy who could bowl great off spinners and Mark Greatbatch was a very dangerous batsmen. The captain was of course Martin Crowe but not much was known about him and his claim to fame was just that, being the kiwi captain. He could bat of course.
So coming back to Greatbatch, I remember the match starting very early and Tendulkar reaching his highest one day score uptill then. But then Greatbatch came along and played the most agressive inning I had seen up till then. Figures prove this as Tendulkar made his 84 in 107 balls while Greatbatch managed his 73 in 77 balls.
http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_dat.../WC92/LEAGUE/IND_NZ_WC92_ODI27_12MAR1992.html
What is more notable is the sixes column if you look carefully in the score card. Four sixes! I dont remember much of it except for the fact that the Kiwis were very devastating and started off in devastating fashion.
The Kiwis won ofcourse and Greatbatch became a notable player. He didnt do any thing as memorable before and after that for me. But for that brief period which was the WC 1992, he shone and was a hero. Not for a totally weird reason as well as it was related to his cricketing achievment. But freakish almost like Geoff Allott was in 1999.
I hope people are liking these personal cricketing tales which are insignificant on a larger perspective.