Famous Cricketers No 79 - Richard Hadlee

197. Nottinghamshire v Middlesex, Trent Bridge, September 10, 12, 13 (Match drawn) b N.G.Cowans 6 253-6d 23 2 72 5 G.D.Barlow c J.D.Birch 201 1 A.J.T.Miller b C.T.Radley c B.N.French J.E.Emburey c D.W.Randall W.W.Daniel b 2 1 5 0 54-1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 4 8 2 301 92* 50.16 - 3 1 Other Tour matches 4 3 0 176 82 58.66 - 2 2 County Championship 5 4 0 119 103 29.75 1 - 3 Season 13 15 2 596 103 45.84 1 5 6 Career 197 276 45 6228 142* 26.96 7 28 103 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Test matches 232 65 559 21 6-53 26.61 2 - Other Tour matches 113.1 30 296 15 4-42 19.73 - - County Championship 86.2 28 210 13 5-72 16.15 1 - Season (6b) 431.3 123 1065 49 6-53 21.73 3 - Career (6b) 4323.3 1229 } 16107 815 7-23 19.76 47 6 (8b) 1586.6 231 1983/84 Far from well before the start of the season, Hadlee recovered in time to be able to play in the Test series and one-day internationals against England. His rehabilitation began when he appeared in Canterbury’s first two Shell Trophy games, both fortunately at Lancaster Park, firstly against Auckland and then against Northern Districts. In both these games he played with his brother Dayle – the first time the two brothers had appeared together in a first-class match since the 1977/78 season. When Canterbury won the toss against Auckland and batted on the first day, they were struggling at 149 for 7 until the advent of the Hadlee brothers. Richard with 93 – his highest score for the province – and Dayle, 69, rescued the side with a record-breaking eighth-wicket stand for Canterbury of 166 in 175 minutes, thus surpassing the long-standing previous record of 114 by H.B.Whitta (52) and A.W.Thomas (83*) against Wellington at Christchurch during the 1919/20 season. Richard batted for 193 minutes, faced 173 balls and hit one six and fifteen fours. The brothers then played their part with the ball, taking nine wickets between them in the match. Richard and Dayle were once more among the wickets against the Northern Districts, Richard returning match figures of 7 for 36 while Dayle supported his brother well, taking 6 for 84 in the game. The Test series was decided by the remarkable events at Lancaster Park, Christchurch. On a controversial pitch, England were totally outplayed and Hadlee, once again, displayed his all-round talents. On the opening day, he rescued his side after New Zealand were 137 for 5. Against woeful bowling, Hadlee made 99 in 111 minutes and faced just 81 balls. Hitting 18 fours, he was well supported by Jeremy Coney (41) and Ian Smith (32*), the seventh-wicket stand with Smith putting on 78 in only 48 minutes. On a cracked pitch England were skittled out for just 82 and they were forced to follow on for the first time against New Zealand in a Test. They did little better at their second attempt, being dismissed for 93, Hadlee taking 5 for 28, giving him 8 for 44 in the match. This was the first time that England had been dismissed for under a hundred in each innings of a Test since 1894/95. Furthermore, they went on to record a first-ever Test series success over England and on a domestic level, Hadlee played a large part in two of Canterbury’s Shell Trophy wins which did much to give them the title. 46