The Surfer

When they beat India by 167 runs at Nagpur in October of that year, it was New Zealand's first win in India and only the country's sixth win ever. Consider that New Zealand have won just once more in that most passionate of cricket nations and you get an idea of the scale of their achievement. Sadly, one of the key figures in that win, left-arm spinner Hedley Howarth, who took nine for 100 in the match, was not there. He died last November. Neither were other notable players, Dick Motz, Bob Cunis and Ken Wadsworth, who have also passed away. A few weeks after Nagpur, this group won for the first time in Pakistan, beating their hosts by five wickets at Lahore. When they defiantly drew the final test on a dramatic last day at Dacca, it was New Zealand's first series victory overseas.

For a short period in 1994, accused of ball-tampering and fined, not for ball-tampering, but for lying to the match referee, I felt exactly how Hamilton is feeling right now: embarrassed, hurt, foolish, hunted and on my own. There are some similarities between the episodes: an initial mistake - Hamilton allowing Jarno Trulli to pass, me keeping one side of the ball dry by using dust from an old pitch; the confession - Hamilton in an immediate post-match interview, me in the dressing-room at teatime; then the panic - how do we get out of this one?; the cover-up - Hamilton to the stewards, me to Peter Burge, the match referee; the punishment and then the press conference.

"I have been watching England for 20 years since I was a kid and have always said that I wanted to go on a tour," said Robertson. "Two years ago I started saving and I can safely say I have no regrets. On Boxing Day last year I was on a laptop at a friend's house and decided that the West Indies tour would be a good one to start with, so I booked my flights, bought my tickets off the Barmy Army website and took it from there."

At that stage, I was still living with my mum, because I had no job and no income, which wasn't great for a 30-year-old. We worked out that I needed a better balance in my life, and I was lucky enough to find a post at a company called SUMS Consulting, which advises universities on how to improve their administration. I also took up the violin again, which was something I hadn't done since university. I have since played for Reading Symphony Orchestra and for the Aldworth Philharmonic – which actually suit me better as it only plays four big concerts a year, and that fits in really well with my cricket.

The ECB has received little recognition for its investment in cricket outside the professional game. The desperate need for funding to support the likes of Claire Taylor explains the reason why it has tried to maximise its income by fighting the supremacy of the parasitic IPL, rashly thrown itself into the arms of the rogue businessman Sir Allen Stanford and other dodgy moments besides. That then is what this Wisden award is; one of the best excuses the ECB has ever had.

This is the man who said that he could work with Peter Moores when he became captain but quickly said he had to go. This is the man who wanted Andy Flower sacked, too, but who now wants to work with him. This is the man who was an ambassador for Allen Stanford and then called him a sleazebag. It is naivety, really. Remarkably, Kevin is not as streetwise at times as he could be. But I would always have him in my side. Obviously because he is a fabulous batsman but also because of what he can offer off the field.