Jeremy Coney

Jeremy Coney

Personal information
Full name	Jeremy Vernon Coney
Born	21 June 1952 (1952-06-21) Wellington, New Zealand
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm medium
International information
National side	New Zealand
Test debut (cap 129)	5 January 1974 v Australia
Last Test	15 March 1987 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 31)	9 June 1979 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	28 March 1987 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1971–1987	Wellington
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	52	88	165	127
Runs scored	2,668	1,874	7,872	2,763
Batting average	37.57	30.72	35.14	31.39
100s/50s	3/16	0/8	8/47	0/14
Top score	174*	66*	174*	73*
Balls bowled	2,835	2,931	8,993	3,881
Wickets	27	54	111	71
Bowling average	35.77	37.75	31.17	38.26
5 wickets in innings	0	0	1	0
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	0	n/a
Best bowling	3/28	4/46	6/17	4/46
Catches/stumpings	64/–	40/–	192/–	57/–
Source: Cricinfo, 22 January 2010

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]} 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

Preceded by Geoff Howarth

New Zealand national cricket captain 1984/85-1986/7

Succeeded by Jeff Crowe