Adam Parore
A combative wicket-keeper whose record-breaking durability behind the stumps defined New Zealand cricket through the 1990s.
Born 1971 (age 55)·New Zealand cricketer·Birthday: January 23·Generation X
Biography
Adam Parore was the ironman of New Zealand cricket, a wicket-keeper whose gritty presence defined the Black Caps for over a decade. With a style more workmanlike than flamboyant, he built a reputation on sheer reliability, holding down a position that had often been a revolving door. His batting was similarly pugnacious; capable of explosive counter-attacking innings, he famously scored a century against Australia in Perth. Parore's career was not without controversy—his outspoken nature and occasional clashes with authority marked him as a fiercely independent figure. He played a key role in New Zealand's unexpected triumph in the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya. Upon retirement, he held the world record for most Test dismissals by a wicket-keeper, a testament to his endurance and skill. He then channeled his competitive intensity into the world of finance, founding a mortgage brokerage, proving his drive extended far beyond the boundary rope.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Adam was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Adam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Adam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Broke the world record for most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket (then 201), a mark he held from 2002 to 2004.
- Was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy, the country's first major ICC event victory.
- Scored a Test century (110) against a formidable Australian attack at the WACA in Perth in 2001.
- Played 78 consecutive Test matches for New Zealand, an extraordinary feat of durability for a wicket-keeper.
Did You Know?
He is of Māori descent, from the Ngāpuhi iwi.
After cricket, he became a successful mortgage broker and financial commentator.
Parore once took a break from cricket in 1998 to pursue business interests, before returning to the national team.
“My job was to catch the ball and wear the bruises, not to make speeches.”
