By WARREN GAMBLE
The scoreboard at Eden Park yesterday announced: D W CROWE c and b 66.
At the ground which was his second home, Dave Crowe was farewelled by more than 700 people, including past and present cricketing greats.
His sons Jeff and Martin were among the mourners paying tribute to the
man who died last Friday, aged 66, after a six-month battle with cancer.
At the service under the West Stand, his bat rested against the coffin and a Crowe XI cap sat on top.
Family friend Dennis Harding said Mr Crowe was the only person who had clean-bowled both Jeff and Martin in one over - Jeff was aged 9 and Martin 5.
Mr Harding said the senior Crowe, a former Wellington and Canterbury representative, led from the front in captaining the Dad's Army team at his beloved Cornwall Cricket Club. His enthusiasm sometimes got the better of him. In one record-breaking innings he ran out four colleagues before running himself out.
Former All Black captain Sir Wilson Whineray was one of Mr Crowe's mandatory slips in the Dad's Army team. Mr Harding said they were there for reasons of immobility - they never took a catch.
In another episode, Mr Crowe once called on his German shepherd, Zac, as a substitute fielder. "He chased a couple of snicks down to the third man boundary for us, reluctantly giving up the ball only when they had run four," Mr Crowe later wrote.
Mourners spoke of his enthusiasm for all areas of his full life - for family and friends, playing, coaching and watching sport, and for fine wine, tall tales and after-dinner singalongs. "He was a true character, utterly charming with a priceless skill to get on with all age groups," friend Robin Craze said.
Jeff Crowe recalled how his father bowled to him and Martin in the backyard. "He never pushed you; he just quietly gave you advice and left it up to your own judgment."
Martin Crowe said that if he had to pick his father's greatest attribute, it was "the way he greeted everyone, the way he welcomed you every day."
Among the cricketers at the funeral were Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns and Adam Parore and former internationals Bert Sutcliffe, Hedley Howarth, Bryan Young, Dipak Patel and Danny Morrison.
