There was a time when Lou Vincent was considered one of New Zealand’s top cricket prospects. In 2001 he made his Test and ODI debut for the Black Caps and became an instant hit. In a short span of 23 Tests, he scored 1332 runs with three centuries and a top score of 224.
He scored a century in his first Test against Australia and later scored 172 in an ODI match against Zimbabwe, but after scoring a century in the 2007 World Cup, he suffered a wrist injury and had to be replaced. Shortly thereafter he joined the Indian Cricket League (which was held before the start of the first IPL).
Recently, while speaking to a reporter of The Telegraph (UK), Vincent opened up about his battle with depression and how it led to his getting involved in match-fixing with the Indian Cricket League. “I did not have the mental package to become a top-level professional sportsman. At the age of 28, I was already suffering from depression, went to India to play in the ICL, and was dragged into that fixing world,” he explained.
From that point, his downslide began when he started treading the murky waters of match-fixing. Wherever he played his dubious practices followed. In July 2014, he was banned from cricket for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board for match-fixing, after he admitted to 18 breaches of the regulations including fixing the outcome of Sussex County’s match against Kent in 2011, along with Pakistan’s Naved Arif.
Several years later, after he had made full disclosures of all his deals and expressed sincere remorse, he was allowed to play in domestic cricket but the ban on his international career was not lifted.
Struggling to earn a living
According to the article in The Telegraph, Vincent, now 46, is struggling to earn a living by painting houses. In a chat with the reporter, he said that he was not looking for sympathy or forgiveness. But he was forthcoming with the details about how his life went off the tracks, how he coped with public shame and found solace living in a remote part of New Zealand’s north island near Ninety Mile Beach, where he is trying to make a living.
He says that it was his nature that made him vulnerable to crooked dealers who were trying to fix matches and make a quick buck. “Back then we had no other options than playing international cricket. Fixers were on the prowl, looking for players who would cooperate with them,” he said.
Harsh childhood
His parents separated when he was young, he was brought up by his father in Australia and never had a settled family life. “I raised myself from the age of 12, so I was always quite malleable to people around me. I did not have that maturity to deal with others.”
It was easy for him to be lured into the world of betting and crime. After he was exposed and given a life ban, he lost his only source of income and suffered the break-up of his marriage. “Some members of my family have turned against me. But I have faith that time heals a lot of wounds,” he told the reporter.
In the dark days, when he tried to reconnect with his former friends and neighbours at Christmas time, they would shun him. “You have shamed New Zealand. We don’t want you in our town,” they would say and ostracize him. Finally, his wife could not bear the humiliation anymore and left him taking their children with her.
“Being alienated from my two daughters will always be the most devastating thing in my life. I’m hoping that if I do some good things in public, my girls will see that Dad made mistakes, and they’ll hopefully see me as a good guy and reconnect with me,” he commented.
“Losing respect in the cricketing world has been hard. I’ll never make an excuse or blame anyone apart from myself,” he explained.
He was 29 years old when his cricket career came to an end. He is 46 now. He has had many years to reflect upon his wrong choices and where it has landed him. He has now given up the quest for riches and wants a steady family life. Whether he will be able to attain it or not will depend upon his ability to stick to the straight path. It looks like he is facing a long and hard journey. But he is optimistic that he will eventually regain his family and lead a quiet, stable life.
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