Full Name: Lou Vincent
Birth Date: 11/11/78
Birth Place: Warkworth
Major Teams: New Zealand,
NZ 'A', Auckland
Batting Style: Right-handed
Other: Wicketkeeper
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Personality Profile

Lou Vincent hit the international cricketing scene with a bang when he scored 104 on test debut at the WACA against Australia in the November of 2001. But even before that, New Zealand cricket followers knew that the 23-year-old Auckland batsman was bound for stardom.

Born in the small town of Warkworth, just north of Auckland in 1978, young Lou was always into sports...and his father Mike Vincent, who represented Eden-Roskill in first grade cricket, was his main encouragement, taking him along to all the international matches at Eden Park where he came into contact with now friend and mentor, Martin Crowe. He recalls one incident where Crowe was hit in the head and had to leave the field, "I got to see Martin up close. He was a legend. It's those sort of things that inspire you as a kid." He now does his best to emulate the friendly way in which Crowe treated his fans, although it is already in his nature.

At the age of 12, following the separation of his parents, destiny called Vincent to Australia with his dad, where he played through the age group ranks in Adelaide and gained invaluable experience and support for his sporting prowess in the Australian system. He acknowledges the importance of those years in his development as a cricketer saying, "Of all the cricket around the world, how often do you get to play at places like the Adelaide Oval as a kid, on a flat, hard wicket. There, in sport, as a youngster, they look after you". Cricket was not the only sport Vincent became involved in during his years across the Tasman though - he also refereed aussie rules matches, and even took up jockeying as a possible future career.

His decision to return to New Zealand at the age of 18 was the result of a strained relationship between he and one of his Australian coaches, who refused to select him in the age-group side, despite the century and obvious talent he displayed when finally given a chance after injuries to two of his team mates. But a simple phonecall to New Zealand changed all that, and making a serious decision to pursue cricket as a career, Vincent returned to Auckland two days later with the chance to trial for the NZ under-19 side to South Africa for the 1998 Youth World Cup, where he averaged 28.16 with the bat, and helped the NZ team through to the finals. He also debuted for Auckland in the same season, making his first class maiden 51 against Wellington in a Shell Trophy match. It was clear that Lou Vincent was being prepared for the future of New Zealand cricket.

After being accepted into the 1998 BIL Cricket Academy intake, and then playing a brief stint for Rotterdam VOC in Holland during the 2000 off-season, Vincent's rise was significantly fast-paced...capping off with a tour to India for the Buchi Babu Tournament in August 2000 where he averaged 76.0 and helped the NZ 'A' side to victory to the acclaim of coach Dayle Hadlee. His success carried over into 2001 where, upon returning to his Auckland side for the 2000-01 season, he smashed a rmatch-winning133* against Northern Districts in Auckland's final Shell Cup game of the season, falling just short of the record he had made the previous season of 145 against Central Districts. He also kept wicket for the team during the absence of New Zealand wicket-keeper Adam Parore, who also plays for Auckland, and was finally called up to represent his country halfway through the Sri Lankan tour of 2001 - a time where New Zealand cricket was at a major low after two recent series losses to South Africa and Zimbabwe, and two consectutive losses to Sri Lanka. He made his debut in front of a home crowd at Auckland's Eden Park on February the 6th, 2001, and scored a solid 17 off 30 balls...the fourth equal highest score for the New Zealand innings.

The freshness that Vincent brought to the side was not enough to win the Black Caps the immediate series, but his exuberance soon became infectious and the New Zealand team picked up to win the following series against Pakistan 3-2. With scores consistently in the twenties and thirties, he didn't burst onto the international one-day scene in a blaze of centuries, but his keen attitude and speed in the field quickly inspired the New Zealand cricketing public and selectors.

His stunning test debut against Australia followed nine and a half months later after an off-season spell playing for Esholt Cricket Club in England, the New Zealand tour to Sri Lanka, and a New Zealand 'A' tour of India. Vincent was also selected to play test cricket in Pakistan with the New Zealand side, however the tragic events of September 11 intervened, and the team returned home to ensure their safety. When he was finally selected for the third test against Australia in Perth after performing 12th man duties for the first two tests, the world learned who Lou Vincent was, as he became the first visiting player to score a debut century on Australian soil since the season of 1932-33. Before stepping out onto the WACA pitch, he wrote "The days in the backyard dreaming, visualising seeing myself in the firing line, this is the test. Nineteen years of study for the big exam. I should be nervous, but excitement replaces that..." and in 273 minutes, after facing 207 balls, Vincent was only the sixth New Zealander to score a century on debut, and only the second kiwi to do so away from home. Perhaps it is uncanny that he had written only weeks earlier, "I was there, I wore the cap...look at us. We stuck our flag in the ground". And so the 30th of November 2001 is etched on the minds of New Zealand cricket fans, and on the mind of young star, Lou Vincent as he continues to grow into his role in the Black Caps.

""I don't just want to be a test cricketer...I want to be a great test cricketer. I want to have a record and I want to win. I just want to win and be a part of that."

Profile written by Lisa Grindlay 2002

Acknowledgements to Player Magazine for some of the quotes.

For up-to-date international and first-class averages and statistics, click here: Lou Vincent - Cricinfo.com