Meet ex-New Zealand cricketer who scored Test century against India, 224 in last game, now has no money to buy shoes

It is truly astonishing to think that a seasoned 27-year-old international cricketer, who has excelled in three different formats of the game, could be plagued by daily suicidal thoughts. From his remarkable century at the WACA on debut against a formidable Australian team led by Steve Waugh in 2001, to his breathtaking 224 in his final home Test match, Lou Vincent's career seemed like something out of a fairy tale. However, as we all know, success in sports does not always guarantee a smooth journey to the finish line. In fact, the challenges often become more daunting as one's career progresses.

Despite being aware of this reality, Lou Vincent's rapid rise to fame and subsequent downfall is nothing short of unbelievable. As a consistent presence in New Zealand's XI across all formats since his debut in 2001, the talented right-handed opening batsman found himself forced out of the game due to multiple breaches of anti-corruption regulations.

Vincent's illustrious international cricket career came to a close in 2007. Following this, he ventured to England to participate in County cricket and various T20 leagues worldwide. Unfortunately, his career was abruptly cut short due to his involvement in match-fixing. In 2014, Vincent admitted guilt to 18 violations of anti-corruption regulations, with four of these offenses stemming from a Twenty20 match between Lancashire and Durham in June 2008.

The remaining 14 charges pertain to two fixtures that took place at Hove in August 2011: a Sussex v Lancashire Twenty20 match and a Sussex v Kent CB40 match.

In 2014, he was handed a lifetime ban from all forms of cricket, making him the first New Zealand athlete to receive such a severe punishment for involvement in illicit activities. The ban was lifted last year, marking a significant turning point in his career. Despite facing adversity, the talented opener, who once scored a Test century against India in Mohali, persevered and made a remarkable comeback.

Vincent currently resides in a secluded area of New Zealand's North Island, near Ninety Mile Beach. Recently, he was seen delivering a speech at a cafe just a stone's throw away from Basin Reserve, where he achieved a memorable score of 224 in his final Test match at home. Adjusting to a more formal attire, including shirts, ties, and shoes, has been a challenge for him. In fact, he no longer owns a pair of formal shoes or ties.

“Most of my clothes are from the op shop [charity shop] because I will only get paint on them. It is why I wear converse shoes to a formal event. I don’t have anything else. Sandals, converse or bare feet," he told The Telegraph.

Following the termination of his central contract with NZC, Lou Vincent joined the now-defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008. It was during this time that he was introduced to the unethical practice of match-fixing by former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns. Unfortunately, this marked the beginning of a downward spiral for the talented right-handed batsman.

Vincent eventually admitted to engaging in match-fixing during his time in the Indian Cricket League, as well as during the 2012 T20 Champions League held in South Africa. As a result of his actions, he was handed a three-year ban by the Bangladesh Cricket Board for failing to report an approach while representing the Dhaka Gladiators in the country's T20 franchise competition.

“Some members of my family have been turned against me, which I have had to live with, but I have faith that time heals a lot of wounds,” he explained. “I have to think that. "Being alienated from my two daughters will always be the most devastating thing. And I’m hoping, over time with little bits I do in public, my girls will see that Dad made mistakes, and they’ll hopefully see me as a good guy and reconnect with me.

“The other thing is just losing the guys who I played cricket with. I want to eventually go back to England to possibly give back to the game whatever way I can to rekindle some of the friendships I’ve crushed because of my involvement in fixing.

“Losing respect in the cricketing world is something that has been hard, but again, self-inflicted. I’ll never make an excuse or blame anyone else apart from myself. So we’ll see where it takes me. Today could be a start," Vincent said.

“Suicide has been my mindset, even as early as when I was 27. And it was always in the back of my mind. I totally understand why people do it. Because you just want a release. You want to be away from the pain. If you don’t do that, you either drink and take drugs to sort of mask it, but the powerful thing is, you just need to embrace the feeling of that depression and that anger and that hate and go through the stages of rehabilitation to a certain point of finding love for yourself, because that’s the only way you can really properly heal. It’s taken many years to love myself.”

Fast forward to 2024, Vincent has undergone a profound transformation. He has come to terms with the trajectory of his life, acknowledging the loss of his cricketing career without assigning blame to anyone else. Now at the age of 46, he no longer seeks forgiveness, but rather yearns for acceptance.

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