Martin Crowe playing against England in 1992. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
New Zealand and England will honour the late Martin Crowe and Graham Thorpe with a trophy named in the pair's honour, when the three test series starts in Christchurch.
The Crowe-Thorpe Trophy will be unveiled by Deb Crowe (Martin's sister) and former England Test captain Michael Atherton on the ground ahead of the national anthems on Thursday.
Both players were hugely successful during their time in test cricket.
Crowe, a former Black Caps captain played 77 tests and died of cancer in 2016. He was 53.
He averaged 45.36 in his test career scoring 17 centuries - the last of which was against England at Old Trafford in 1994.
His higest test score was 299, scored against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in Wellington in 1991.
Graham Thorpe playing against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2002. 045398 Photo: Photosport
Thorpe played 100 tests for England.
He took his own life in August this year, his family said. He was 55
Thorpe scored 16 test centuries averaging 44.66. His highest score was 200 not out - against New Zealand in 2002.
The Crowe-Thorpe Test Cricket trophy. Photo: Alan Lee / www.photosport.nz
The trophy is made from wood from a bat from each player.
The bat gifted by the Thorpe family (a Kookaburra) is the one with which Graham scored his first two centuries against New Zealand, in consecutive Tests in 1997, while the one donated by the Crowe family was the GM with which Martin scored his century at Lord's in 1994.
New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Scott Weenink said it was fitting the stories and memories of both players would be kept alive through the newly named trophy.
"Today's generation of players are standing on the shoulders of those who went before them, players like Graham and Martin," said Weenink.
"Both were seriously good batsmen who understood the game intimately - they commanded respect wherever they went."
Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said "it's heart-breaking to have lost both men so early, but by honouring them in this way I hope we can help ensure the memories and legacies of two of our nations' finest cricketers live on long into the future."