Mark Burgess has a special place in New Zealand's cricketing history, having been captain of the team
at a time when the Kiwis were still an amateurish side steadily climbing up the ranks. A jovial personality
who was widely popular among his peers, Burgess was a delightful shotmaker whose signature stroke
was the drive. He had a touch of lazy elegance in his batting but also was extremely compact in his
technique. Burgess was first picked for the country during the home series against India in 1968. He was
very much a rookie even in first-class cricket, without having a single ton to his name, but still managed
to take to international cricket seamlessly. A pristine fifty on debut was followed by a couple of half
centuries in the same series and this established his spot in the side. It was against the same opponent,
albeit overseas, that Burgess nearly got his first ever Test ton, only to depart on 89. But that innings
paved way for the country's first ever Test win against India.

Burgess wasn't to be denied of the three-figure mark for long and it came in a special game that was of
massive significance for New Zealand. It was a fourth innings ton that enabled the team to get a draw
and win their first ever series overseas. Burgess' knock was pivotal to the moment and he relished the
feat. He celebrated the success with a century in each of the next two Tests to further show the world
that he had finally arrived in a big way. Throughout his career, he played many vital knocks, often under
pressure against quality bowling units. While his batting was an art to behold, Burgess also shone with
his off-spin that was underutilized in the international arena. The man had leadership skills too and
captained the Kiwis commendably, being one of the pivots to their rise as a cricketing nation. As he aged
into the mid-30s, the form waned and eventually retired after the 1980-81 trip to Australia. Apart from his
contributions to cricket, Burgess was a skilled footballer too, winning the Best Player of the Country award in 1965. He also was a part of the NZ Soccer council.