Cricketing legend Bert Sutcliffe dies

One of New Zealand's finest-ever cricketers, Bert Sutcliffe has died in hospital today at the age of 77.

Born in Auckland in 1923, Sutcliffe was considered one of the world's best left-handed batsmen during his 24-year career, which spanned the years before and after the Second World War.

Sutcliffe made his first-class debut in 1942, playing for Auckland at the age of 18.

His early career was interrupted by the war, and he did not return to first-class cricket until 1946.

At the end of his first-class career he had scored 17,447 runs, at an average of 47.41. His highest first-class score was 385.

He scored 2727 runs in test matches at an average of 40.1, but despite his prowess with the bat, Sutcliffe never played in a winning New Zealand test team.

He was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 1985.

Sutcliffe had been ill for some time with emphysema and had recently been diagnosed with cancer.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, two daughters and one son.