Jeremy Coney

Jeremy Vernon Coney MBE (born 21 June 1952) is a former New Zealand cricketer, who played 52 Test matches and 88 ODIs for New Zealand, captaining them in 15 Tests and 25 ODIs. He was one of New Zealand's most successful batsmen, at least by average, and he made 16 fifties, but centuries often eluded him and he had to wait nine years to make his first - by that time, he had turned 31. He only lost one Test series as captain, against Pakistan away, and he became Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1984. Married to ex New Zealand netball representative and netball commentator Julie Coney.

Coney was the captain who in 1986, after the England wicketkeeper Bruce French was injured by a Hadlee bouncer, allowed Bob Taylor to leave the sponsor's tent and play as a substitute. It was one of the great sporting gestures of all time. New Zealand won that series with the bowling of Richard Hadlee only slightly more potent than the captaincy of Coney. His medium-pace bowling was often used in ODIs, where it yielded 54 wickets, including four for 46 against Sri Lanka in 1985.

During his playing days, Coney's height, reach, and reactions as a slip fieldsman, earned him the nickname "The Mantis".

He now lives in the UK and works as a commentator/ summariser for Sky TV and Test Match Special, where he is famed for his regular use of the word "parsimonious". Coney is trained as a stage lighting designer; he lit I Found My Horn, a solo play which has enjoyed runs at the Tristan Bates and the Hampstead theatres. [1]

External links

• Cricinfo profile