Mark Richardson (cricketer)
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| Mark Richardson | ||||
 |
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 New Zealand |
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| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting style | Left-handed batsman | |||
| Bowling style | Slow left arm | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Tests | ODIs | |||
| Matches | 38 | 4 | ||
| Runs scored | 2776 | 42 | ||
| Batting average | 44.77 | 10.50 | ||
| 100s/50s | 4/19 | 0/0 | ||
| Top score | 145 | 26 | ||
| Overs | 11 | - | ||
| Wickets | 1 | - | ||
| Bowling average | 21.00 | - | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | 0 | - | ||
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | 1/16 | - | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 26/- | 1/- | ||
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As of 26 November 2004 |
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Mark Hunter Richardson (born 11 June 1971, Hastings, New Zealand) is a former New Zealand cricketer. He represented New Zealand in 38 Tests from 2000 to 2004. During his cricketing career he played for Auckland, Buckinghamshire and Otago. His nickname, "Rigor", is short for Rigor Mortis, given to him on account that he moved like a dead man. He was also known as "snail man" due to his slow running. Although his team mates called him this in playful tones, he told 3 News he had had a "guts full" of it.
Richardson began his career as a left-arm spinner, batting at number 10. When his bowling ability left him, he worked on developing his batting, to the point where he was selected as an opening batsman for New Zealand, at age 29. His dour approach to batting provided vital stability to New Zealand's batting order.
Richardson scored 2776 Test runs at an average of 44.77, including four centuries and 19 fifties. His sole Test wicket came in a match against Pakistan in 2001, dismissing Mohammad Yousuf, then known as Yousuf Youhana, caught and bowled for 203.
In addition to his slow running, Richardson was also noted for developing (in conjunction with the Beige Brigade) a tradition to challenge the slowest runner of the opposing side to a running race at the conclusion of each tour. In his first race he beat Australia's Darren Lehmann. He has since raced Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, South Africa's Neil McKenzie and England's Ashley Giles, only beating Kaneria. The Beige Brigade also supplied Richardson with a long-sleeved and hooded running suit in the New Zealand teams 1980's beige and brown colours.
Famously Richardson caught Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne who was on 99 at the time. Warne holds the record for most Test runs without a century, a record which is highly unlikely to ever be broken. After taking the catch, Richardson turned and bowed to the unappreciative Perth crowd. The crowd's mood was not helped by replay showing the delivery was in fact a no-ball.
He retired from all forms of cricket in December 2004, saying he could not sustain the intensity needed to compete at international level. He noted that he finished with "a Test bowling average that is better than Sir Richard Hadlee's (22.29), and a 50-50 record in the end-of-series running race." He scored 9,994 first-class runs during his career.
Richardson also played for Dunedin Metropolitan in the Hawke Cup.
Richardson is a currently a cricket commentator for SKY Sports. He also co-hosts Prime show, The Crowd Goes Wild, with Andrew Mulligan.
