Mark Richardson (cricketer)

During his cricketing career he played for Auckland, Buckinghamshire and Otago as well as for Dunedin Metropolitan in the Hawke Cup.

As his bowling ability declined, he worked on developing his batting, to the point where he was selected as an opening batsman for New Zealand, at age 29.

On 16 October 2003, Richardson was batting against India in Mohali[2] when he suffered a severe leg cramp after playing a sweep shot, forcing him onto the ground and yelling in agony.

[3] 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."