Gavin Larsen
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 New Zealand (NZ) |
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| Image:Gavinlarsen.jpg | ||
| Batting style | Right-hand bat | |
|---|---|---|
| Bowling type | Right-arm medium | |
| Tests | ODIs | |
| Matches | 8 | 121 |
| Runs scored | 127 | 629 |
| Batting average | 14.11 | 14.62 |
| 100s/50s | -/- | -/- |
| Top score | 26* | 37 |
| Balls bowled | 1967 | 6368 |
| Wickets | 24 | 113 |
| Bowling average | 28.70 | 35.39 |
| 5 wickets in innings | - | - |
| 10 wickets in match | - | n/a |
| Best bowling | 3/57 | 4/24 |
| Catches/stumpings | 5/- | 23/- |
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As of 4 February 2006 |
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Gavin Rolf Larsen (born 27 September 1962, Wellington) was a New Zealand cricketer who specialised in the art of economical bowling. He was known playfully by his team mates as "Big Gav", as mentioned in Danny Morrison's biography, Mad As I Wanna Be. He finished his career with an exceptional economy rate in ODI cricket of 3.76 - the norm is usually somewhere between 4 and 4.50 - in his 121 ODIs, stretching over a ten-year span.
He also played eight Tests with reasonable success, taking 24 wickets, but the selectors didn't have faith in his style of bowling. However, as a useful batsman and handy bowler, his place in the one-day side was always comfortable, and he played a major part in New Zealand reaching the semi-final stage of the 1999 cricket World Cup.
Larsen earned his 100th ODI wicket in his home-town of Wellington, claiming the prize scalp of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
Unusually for a New Zealand player, he played his entire first-class career with one team, Wellington. He also captained the side in the 1994 Australasian Cup in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, where New Zealand reached the semi-finals of a six-team tournament.
Life after retirement has been kind to Larsen, serving cricket as a TV commentator and cricket ambassador. As he as aged, many New Zealand women view him as a "silver fox." His silver-grey hair and boyish good looks have helped mold this image of him as reported by Television 3 News.
Gavin's good image was somewhat tarnished in an event occurring in Nelson in 1997. He was approached in public by a young lad who wished to talk to one of his idols, and rudely dismissed him. The youngster gave a transcript of the exchange to the Nelson Mail.
Boy: Wow, hello, so you live in Nelson now Gav?
Gavin: Yea. Why?
Boy: I dunno, I thought you lived in Wellington. Anyway, its been great watching you on television all these years.
Gavin: Im trying to have a day with my son, just leave me alone. In fact, dont ever speak to me again.
Gavin later apologised and said he was, "pretty stressed out" at the time.
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