View source for Mark Greatbatch

{{short description|New Zealand cricketer}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
 |                name = Mark Greatbatch
 |               image = 
 |             country = New Zealand
 |            country2 = 
 |            country3 = 
 |            fullname = Mark John Greatbatch
 |          birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|12|11|df=yes}}
 |         birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
 |            nickname = 
 |            heightft = 
 |          heightinch = 
 |             heightm = 
 |             batting = Left-handed
 |             bowling = Right-arm medium
 |                role = [[Batting order (cricket)#Opening batters|Opening batter]]
 |              family = 
 |
 |       international = true
 |   internationalspan = 1988–1996
 |       testdebutdate = 25 February
 |       testdebutyear = 1988
 |        testdebutfor = New Zealand
 |    testdebutagainst = England
 |             testcap = 165
 |        lasttestdate = 28 November
 |        lasttestyear = 1996
 |         lasttestfor = New Zealand
 |     lasttestagainst = Pakistan
 |        odidebutdate = 9 March
 |        odidebutyear = 1988
 |         odidebutfor = New Zealand
 |     odidebutagainst = England
 |              odicap = 60
 |         lastodidate = 8 December
 |         lastodiyear = 1996
 |          lastodifor = New Zealand
 |      lastodiagainst = Pakistan
 |            odishirt = 
 |               club1 = [[Auckland cricket team|Auckland]]
 |               year1 = {{nowrap|1982/83–1985/86}}
 |               club2 = [[Central Districts cricket team|Central Districts]]
 |               year2 = 1986/87–1999/00
 |             columns = 4
 |             column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
 |            matches1 = 41
 |               runs1 = 2,021
 |            bat avg1 = 30.62
 |           100s/50s1 = 3/10
 |          top score1 = 146[[not out|*]]
 |         deliveries1 = 6
 |            wickets1 = 0
 |           bowl avg1 = –
 |            fivefor1 = –
 |             tenfor1 = –
 |       best bowling1 = –
 |  catches/stumpings1 = 27/–
 |             column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
 |            matches2 = 84
 |               runs2 = 2,206
 |            bat avg2 = 28.28
 |           100s/50s2 = 2/13
 |          top score2 = 111
 |         deliveries2 = 6
 |            wickets2 = 0
 |           bowl avg2 = –
 |            fivefor2 = –
 |             tenfor2 = –
 |       best bowling2 = –
 |  catches/stumpings2 = 35/–
 |             column3 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
 |            matches3 = 170
 |               runs3 = 9,890
 |            bat avg3 = 37.89
 |           100s/50s3 = 24/43
 |          top score3 = 202[[not out|*]]
 |         deliveries3 = 171
 |            wickets3 = 1
 |           bowl avg3 = 149.00
 |            fivefor3 = 0
 |             tenfor3 = 0
 |       best bowling3 = 1/23
 |  catches/stumpings3 = 144/–
 |             column4 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
 |            matches4 = 175
 |               runs4 = 4,678
 |            bat avg4 = 29.98
 |           100s/50s4 = 2/34
 |          top score4 = 111
 |         deliveries4 = 13
 |            wickets4 = 0
 |           bowl avg4 = –
 |            fivefor4 = –
 |             tenfor4 = –
 |       best bowling4 = –
 |  catches/stumpings4 = 82/–
 |
 |                date = 7 May
 |                year = 2017
 |              source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/37105.html Cricinfo
}}

'''Mark John Greatbatch''' (born 11 December 1963) is a former New Zealand international [[cricket]]er. He scored more than 2,000 runs in his 41 [[Test cricket|Test matches]] for [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]]. A left-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler in [[first class cricket]] for [[Auckland cricket team|Auckland]] and [[Central Districts cricket team|Central Districts]], Greatbatch scored 9,890 first class runs in total as well as being an occasional [[wicket keeper]].

==International career==
Greatbatch highest test score of 146 not out off 485 balls was against Australia at [[Western Australia Cricket Association Ground|Perth]] in November 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63517.html|title=Only Test: Australia v New Zealand at Perth, Nov 24–28, 1989. Cricket Scorecard|work=[[ESPN Cricinfo]]|accessdate=13 August 2014}}</ref> Greatbatch was at the crease for 11 hours (2 days) to save New Zealand from defeat, the game ending in a draw because of his efforts.<ref name="Monga">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/397410.html|title=I Was There: One man against the mob|last=Monga|first=Sidharth|date=31 March 2009|work=[[Cricinfo Magazine]]|publisher=ESPN Cricinfo|accessdate=13 August 2014}}</ref> He received a standing ovation at the end of the game. Greatbatch's defensive innings is still considered by pundits{{Who|date=October 2009}} to be one of the greatest cricket centuries ever, under the circumstances.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

For the [[1992 Cricket World Cup]] Greatbatch was not selected to play in the first match, against [[Australia cricket team|Australia]]. However, he was selected to open against South Africa in place of [[John Wright (cricketer, born 1954)|John Wright]], who had been injured, and proceeded to bat to take advantage of fielding restrictions early in the innings. The strategy worked, so was repeated again throughout the World Cup and Greatbatch became one of the first '[[Pinch hitter (cricket)|pinch hitter]]' players to open an innings in [[One Day International]]s.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} Because of this success other cricketing nations, notably [[Sri Lanka cricket team|Sri Lanka]], adopted the idea of opening with an aggressive batsman who normally plays in the middle order of test matches to score quick runs early and this tactic is now common in international cricket.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

Mark Greatbatch finished his career with 2,021 Test runs and 2,206 ODI runs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mark Greatbatch Batting Career |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/mark-greatbatch-37105}}</ref>

==After cricket==

In September 2005 he became director of coaching at [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]] in England.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/warwickshire/4292930.stm Greatbatch to coach Warwickshire]. retrieved 5 October 2007</ref> After relegation from both the [[County Championship]] and [[National League (cricket)|Pro40 League]] in 2007 he was replaced by [[Ashley Giles]].<ref>[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/311493.html Giles succeeds Greatbatch at Warwickshire], retrieved 5 October 2007</ref> In January, 2010, Greatbatch was appointed the coach of the New Zealand national cricket team.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/new_zealand/8488739.stm Greatbatch handed New Zealand team coaching role], retrieved 30 January 2010</ref>

In 2022, [[Asterix (horse)|Asterix]], a horse that Greatbatch partly owned, won the [[New Zealand Derby]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ESPNcricinfo|id=37105}}

{{New Zealand Squad 1992 Cricket World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greatbatch, Mark}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Auckland cricketers]]
[[Category:Central Districts cricketers]]
[[Category:New Zealand One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:New Zealand Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers who made a century on Test debut]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:New Zealand cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Auckland]]
[[Category:New Zealand national cricket team selectors]]
[[Category:New Zealand cricket coaches]]
[[Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Coaches of the New Zealand national cricket team]]
[[Category:M Parkinson's World XI cricketers]]
[[Category:North Island cricketers]]