Emotional farewell for legendary Crowe

Family and former teammates have remembered iconic New Zealand cricketer Martin Crowe as a uniquely gifted player, a cheeky prankster and loving father.

A crowd of about 1000 filled Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral for Crowe's funeral on Friday.

Speaking to the crowd, former teammate Ian Smith described how hard he was hit upon realising Crowe was dying after receiving text message in England.

"It simply said: Hey Stockley, I want you to do my eulogy," he said.

He recalled Crowe's unique leadership, determination to win and his agony after his 299-run stand.

"We all shared the dismay as he fell agonisingly one run short."

"One word sums up Martin Crowe and all that he did to me: passion"

He described Crowe as a cheeky prankster who took pride in his ability to do impersonation of other player's styles on days interrupted by rain.

"There were a lot of things I admired about Martin Crowe, but more than anything his ability to relax."

Crowe's cousin, actor Russell Crowe was a pallbearer on Friday, and Martin's brother Jeff joked that Friday was maybe the only day Martin would be the most famous of the pair.

Speaking to the congregation, Jeff recalled Crowe's cricket prowess from an early age, before describing him as someone with a "beautiful mind" who gave so much beyond cricket.

"Perhaps in death he'll get the recognition fitting the player and the person that he was," he said.

He described finding out about his brother's death while in Bangladesh and how it filled the news there, with parks Crowe had never seen holding moments of silence and tributes.

Video tributes from current New Zealand internationals Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, preparing for the World Twenty20 in India, were played with both saying they owed him a great deal.

Taylor recalled calling Crowe as a 20-year-old to seek his advice and that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

He revealed Crowe sent him an email after New Zealand had been well beaten in the 1st Test against Australia in Brisbane in November which left him questioning his future in the game.

"That page and a half of words made me really believe and have faith again," said Taylor who made 290 in the next Test.

A tearful Guptill said both he and Taylor were incredibly proud to be referred to as the sons Crowe never had.

Wife Lorraine Downes said Crowe was her soulmate: "My grief is huge as was my love for Marty."

New Zealand Cricket representatives included chief David White, president Stephen Boock and board member Sir Richard Hadlee. Former international teammates were among the mourners as was former Australian Test captain Greg Chappell, representing Cricket Australia.

Meanwhile, former Black Caps skippers Brendon McCullum and Stephen Fleming, who could not attend, opted instead to hold a minute of silence at the NZ Open in Queenstown along with former Australian cricketers Allan Border and Ricky Ponting.

Students from his former school Auckland Grammar formed a guard of honour and others performed a rousing haka as Crowe's coffin left the church.