New Zealand's lone ranger
For most of the 17 years Hadlee was a Test cricketer, he singlehandedly carried his side's attack like no other bowler had managed before and only Muttiah Muralitharan has managed since. His action, as smooth as whipped cream, combined menace with meannes
Lawrence Booth
12-Apr-2007
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The old quotes are always the best. When Graham Gooch summed up the challenge of batting against the New Zealand team of the 1980s, he described it thus: "Richard Hadlee at one end, Ilford 2nds at the other." If that was harsh, it also hinted at an unavoidable truth. For most of the 17 years Hadlee was a Test cricketer, he singlehandedly carried his side's attack like no other bowler had managed before and only Muttiah Muralitharan has managed since. His action, as smooth as whipped cream, combined menace with meanness, and his fast leg-cutter was one of the deliveries of the century. His best was usually too good.
Achievements
For a man who loved his statistics, it seems right to start at the top. When Hadlee bowled India's Sanjay Manjrekar on his home turf in Christchurch on February 4, 1990, he became the first player in Test history to take 400 wickets. He finished with 431 at 22, including 36 five-fors and nine 10-wicket hauls, both records until Murali passed them. He could bat too, once scoring a hundred from No. 8 against West Indies, and competitively rubbed his all-rounder's shoulders with Botham, Kapil and Imran. But it was his bowling that eventually earned him a knighthood. "Sir RJ Hadlee" looked classy on a scorecard.
For a man who loved his statistics, it seems right to start at the top. When Hadlee bowled India's Sanjay Manjrekar on his home turf in Christchurch on February 4, 1990, he became the first player in Test history to take 400 wickets. He finished with 431 at 22, including 36 five-fors and nine 10-wicket hauls, both records until Murali passed them. He could bat too, once scoring a hundred from No. 8 against West Indies, and competitively rubbed his all-rounder's shoulders with Botham, Kapil and Imran. But it was his bowling that eventually earned him a knighthood. "Sir RJ Hadlee" looked classy on a scorecard.
What makes him special
Hadlee was dedicated to his craft, for that is how he viewed fast bowling. When a physical and mental breakdown threatened to derail his career in the mid-1980s, he used the power of positive thought to keep himself going, and came back stronger than ever. Having been something of a tearaway in his youth, he cut down on his pace and concentrated on working batsmen out. He regarded an over as a scientist might his Petri dish, treating each delivery as part of an overall scheme to unravel the batsman at the other end. The neat, white wristbands merely added to an image that managed to be both precise and chilling at the same time.
Hadlee was dedicated to his craft, for that is how he viewed fast bowling. When a physical and mental breakdown threatened to derail his career in the mid-1980s, he used the power of positive thought to keep himself going, and came back stronger than ever. Having been something of a tearaway in his youth, he cut down on his pace and concentrated on working batsmen out. He regarded an over as a scientist might his Petri dish, treating each delivery as part of an overall scheme to unravel the batsman at the other end. The neat, white wristbands merely added to an image that managed to be both precise and chilling at the same time.
Finest hour
Taking 10 wickets at Wellington in 1977-78 to inspire New Zealand to their first Test win over England ranks highly, but it is hard to look beyond his famous haul of 15 to defeat Australia at Brisbane in 1985-86. In the days when New Zealand held the balance of power across the Tasman more often than not, Hadlee was denied all 10 in the first innings only by his own catch to dismiss Geoff Lawson, the ninth man out, off the bowling of Vaughan Brown. It was Brown's only Test wicket. Six more in the second innings left him with match figures of 15 for 123 and an indelible place in the record books.
Taking 10 wickets at Wellington in 1977-78 to inspire New Zealand to their first Test win over England ranks highly, but it is hard to look beyond his famous haul of 15 to defeat Australia at Brisbane in 1985-86. In the days when New Zealand held the balance of power across the Tasman more often than not, Hadlee was denied all 10 in the first innings only by his own catch to dismiss Geoff Lawson, the ninth man out, off the bowling of Vaughan Brown. It was Brown's only Test wicket. Six more in the second innings left him with match figures of 15 for 123 and an indelible place in the record books.
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Achilles Heel
His team-mates might suggest he took his obsession with figures to an unhealthy extreme, although some people later said the same about Steve Waugh as well. But the only blot in Hadlee's statistical copybook came in Pakistan, where his 10 Test wickets cost nearly 45 apiece. Mind you, since Dennis Lillee averaged over 100 with the ball there, perhaps the weakness is not so glaring after all.
His team-mates might suggest he took his obsession with figures to an unhealthy extreme, although some people later said the same about Steve Waugh as well. But the only blot in Hadlee's statistical copybook came in Pakistan, where his 10 Test wickets cost nearly 45 apiece. Mind you, since Dennis Lillee averaged over 100 with the ball there, perhaps the weakness is not so glaring after all.
How history views him
As one of the most supple and exacting fast-medium bowlers there has ever been. At the time of writing, Hadlee is still over 200 Test wickets clear of his nearest compatriot, Daniel Vettori. But the stats, astonishing which ever way you look at them, did more than achieve personal glory. He put New Zealand on cricket's map, and - along with Clive Rice - inspired Nottinghamshire to the county championship title in both 1981 and '87. And he kept going until the very end, bowling Devon Malcolm with his 21,918th and final ball in Test cricket at the age of 38 to finish with yet another five-for.
As one of the most supple and exacting fast-medium bowlers there has ever been. At the time of writing, Hadlee is still over 200 Test wickets clear of his nearest compatriot, Daniel Vettori. But the stats, astonishing which ever way you look at them, did more than achieve personal glory. He put New Zealand on cricket's map, and - along with Clive Rice - inspired Nottinghamshire to the county championship title in both 1981 and '87. And he kept going until the very end, bowling Devon Malcolm with his 21,918th and final ball in Test cricket at the age of 38 to finish with yet another five-for.
Life after cricket
After a stint in the commentary box, Hadlee took the job that always seemed his by right: chairman of the New Zealand selectors. Even now, punters at international matches in New Zealand regard him as the greatest photo opportunity around.
After a stint in the commentary box, Hadlee took the job that always seemed his by right: chairman of the New Zealand selectors. Even now, punters at international matches in New Zealand regard him as the greatest photo opportunity around.
Lawrence Booth is a cricket writer for the Guardian. His second book, Arm-Ball to Zooter: A Sideways Look at the Language of Cricket, is on sale now.