New Delhi: Cricket fraternity mourned the death of former New Zealand Cricket Skipper Martin Crowe, who passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was 53 years of age.

Crowe was widely regarded as one of New Zealand`s finest batsman, who played 77 tests from 1982-1995 and scored 5,444 runs at an average of 45.36.

The elegant right-hand batsman also scored 4,704 runs at an average of 38.55 in one-day internationals.

He was initially diagnosed with follicular lymphoma in 2012 but the disease went into remission.

In September 2014, Crowe said a new, more aggressive form of the disease, double-hit lymphoma, had developed. He was told only five percent survival chance was left.