CRICKET - Tough on outside, but heart of gold - Bob Cunis

Opening batsmen may have know him as gruff, grumpy or even downright hostile - but under his tough exterior everybody knew Bob Cunis had a heart of gold.
His funeral yesterday was agreed by the 450 people who attended to be one of the most humorous in recent memory, full of anecdotes revealing his competitive nature and, above all, the Northland cricketing great's legendary sense of humour.
Cunis died on Saturday of respiratory failure, aged 64, in his Ruakaka home.
He was a bowler who demanded respect. He was rarely interested in safety or his figures, but always had an angle on how to get a batsman out.
He played 20 test matches for New Zealand between 1964 and 1972, finishing his international career with 51 wickets at an average of 37.00 and best figures of 6/76.
His first-class career was split between Auckland and Northern Districts and spanned 132 matches. He took 386 wickets at an average of 26.65 including two 10-wicket bags and 18 five-wicket hauls. He was also an accomplished rugby player and all-round sportsman before a series of hip and leg injuries forced him to quit competitive sport.
Cunis went on to coach New Zealand and later entertained television viewers with a dry wit and insight as a cricket commentator.
He was a former school teacher and the principal at Waiohau Primary School in the Bay of Plenty and Maungakaramea Primary School, south of Whangarei. Many of the mourners at the funeral yesterday were former pupils.
Dozens of his former teammates from around the country joined their Northland counterparts at the Spires Pavilion at Cobham Oval after the funeral to send him off yesterday.
Former New Zealand captain John Wright made the trip up from Christchurch with another former international, Dale Hadlee, to pay his respects.
"He was a great teacher. When I started at Northern Districts, Bob was finishing his career and he taught me a lot about batting because he was an opening bowler. He knew what to look for in batsmen, their strengths and weaknesses," Wright said.
Wright was the captain when Cunis was made coach of New Zealand and said he respected him for his competitiveness and his man management of the team, rather than the technical coaching ability that made him a good national coach.
Cunis is survived by mother Helen, wife Jeanette, and three children - Paul, Keri and Stephen - as well as five grandchildren.
* Slice of Life
• Brian Johnston (former Northland Selector
He was a master of swing bowling there's no doubt about that, he was only a short man but he delivered the ball from high up and swung it real well.
• Murray Child (former Northland captain and Northern Districts teammate)
He was a tremendous character with a huge heart and even when he was bowling near the end of his career you could never get the ball off him because he always wanted to keep bowling because he thought he could get someone out.
• John Wright (former New Zealand captain and teammate)
I was captain on tour in India (and Bob was the coach) and we were in a little bit of trouble on the first day of the second test after losing the first test and being the coach and captain we were in the dressing room watching the TV monitor and he looked up and said how do you fancy Christmas in Rarotonga? I said it's late November, what the hell are you talking about, and Bob said, if things keep on going like this you and I won't be allowed back in New Zealand.
• Barry Cooper (Former Northland and Northern Districts batsman)
I first remember playing against him when I was a young fellow at Kensington Park. I was playing for Onerahi-Central and he was playing for Maungakaramea, I was on 191 and Bob bowled me and told me in no uncertain terms where to go, off the field.