Families of Jonah Lomu and Martin Crowe approve use of names for new T20 trophy

Departed New Zealand sporting superstars Jonah Lomu and Martin Crowe have had a Twenty20 cricket trophy dedicated to them.

The Lomu-Crowe trophy is based on the design of a Maori adze and will be up for grabs when rugby and cricket stars play the inaugural "Black Clash" T20 match at Christchurch's Hagley Oval on January 25.

Created by renowned New Zealand artist Shane 'Spud' Dudley with the blessing of the families of the two Kiwi sporting legends, the trophy features a greenstone finish blade with steel and copper wire binding.

The Lomu-Crowe trophy was unveiled in Christchurch on Wednesday, along with the playing uniforms for  the Team Rugby and Team Cricket line-ups.

Team Rugby confirmed they had signed up Australian cricketing allrounder David Hussey as their international wildcard, giving them invaluable experience to counter a cricket team full of former Black Caps.

Duco Events boss David Higgins is delighted with planning for the match he maintains will have a hugely competitive edge to it given the backgrounds of the players.

He was particularly thrilled to be able to put the names of Lomu and Crowe to the event. All Blacks wing and global rugby star Lomu died of a heart attack related to his kidney disease in November 2015, aged 40. Former New Zealand cricket captain Crowe, who had a long battle with cancer, passed away in March 2016, aged 53.

"It's truly fitting that the names of these two national heroes have pride of place on what is a wonderful, iconic piece of Kiwi art," Higgins said.

"I've always believed that Martin and Jonah have not been fully recognised for the contribution they made to the country through their tremendous deeds on and off the sports field.

"Both Martin and Jonah were men whose achievements transcended the sports field. 

"So to be able to honour them even in a small way by naming the T20 Black Clash trophy the Lomu-Crowe trophy just feels right.

"To me it is fitting that Jonah and Martin be linked in some way to an event that features so many of New Zealand's biggest sports stars. So we commissioned Shane Dudley to make a trophy that would be both unmistakably Kiwi and suitably honour the legacy of both Martin and Jonah."