Famous Cricketers No 79 - Richard Hadlee

261. Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire, Scarborough, September 11, 12, 13 (Match drawn) not out 73 301-5d 17.4 3 52 4 M.D.Moxon c B.N.French 262 J.D.Love b P.J.Hartley c B.N.French C.Shaw b b P.J.Hartley 3 256-8 11 4 14 1 M.D.Moxon c D.W.Randall 306-4d 262. Nottinghamshire v Hampshire, Trent Bridge, September 14, 16, 17 (Match drawn) c and b R.J.Maru 0 297 15 5 36 1 C.L.Smith c D.W.Randall 252-4d not out 71 234-6d 12 3 20 2 V.P.Terry c B.C.Broad 268-9 1 R.J.Parks b SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct County Championship 19 29 11 592 73* 32.88 - 5 17 Career 262 368 68 8737 210* 29.12 9 43 154 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m County Championship (6b) 473.5 136 1026 59 8-41 17.38 2 - Career (6b) 6310.5 1844 } 20426 1092 8-41 18.70 61 8 (8b) 1586.6 231 1985/86 - New Zealand in Australia Capturing 33 wickets in only three Tests at an amazing average of just 12.15 per wicket, Richard Hadlee achieved really great deeds which even his most ardent admirers could not possibly have imagined. New Zealand took the series 2-1 with the Kiwis starting the series by winning at Brisbane by an innings and 41 runs – the first time they had inflicted such a defeat on Australia. Hadlee was a constant threat to the Australian batsmen and, reviewing the tour, the New Zealand Cricket Annual stated: “His unerring accuracy and hostility, his ability to make the most of whatever the pitch had to offer, his variations in pace, cut and swing must have given the Australian batsmen nightmares”. At Brisbane, in cloudy, overcast and humid conditions, Hadlee destroyed Australia’s first innings. Ending the first day on 146 for 4 – all four wickets to Hadlee – Australia had simply no answer to the New Zealander when play resumed the next day, losing their last six wickets for just 33 runs. Finishing with the magical analysis of 23.4-4-52-9, Hadlee even played a part in the one wicket that eluded him, taking “a great running catch, with his back to the pitch” ( New Zealand Cricket Annual ) to dismiss Geoff Lawson off the bowling of Vaughan Brown. The top Australian batsmen all fell to Hadlee: Andrew Hilditch, was out hooking (as he was in the second innings); Allan Border was caught at cover; David Boon and Greg Ritchie were both victims of the ball leaving them; Wayne Phillips played on; and Kepler Wessels was trapped in front. Facing an innings defeat, Australia had a wretched start to their second innings on the fourth day, finding themselves 16 for 3. When Hadlee returned with the second new ball he took four wickets to give him second innings figures of 6 for 71 and 15 for 123 in the match! Furthermore, between the Australian innings Hadlee hit a rapid 54 with three sixes and four fours and, staying for only 63 minutes, faced just 45 balls. With Brown (36*) he put on 78, which was a record for the seventh wicket for New Zealand in Tests against Australia, and New Zealand ended up by making a record score of 553 for 7d. This match will always be remembered for the outstanding achievements of Richard Hadlee who established more new bowling records for New Zealand, details as follows: his match analysis of 15 for 123 and innings figures of 9 for 52 are still the best for New Zealand in any Test, surpassing his own match and innings figures of 11 for 58 and 7 for 23 respectively against India at Wellington in 1975/76. They are also the best for New Zealand in any representative game, eclipsing the performance of Bill Merritt, who took 12 for 130 in the match, and 8 for 41 in the second innings, against Essex at Leyton in 1931. In all Test cricket only Jim Laker, twice, 9 for 37 and 10 for 53 against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956, and George Lohmann, 9 for 28 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1895/96, had bettered Hadlee’s first innings figures. More fine bowling by Hadlee, 5 for 65 in the first innings and seven wickets in the match, could not prevent New Zealand losing the Second Test at Sydney. In Australia’s first innings he claimed two early wickets and then later he sent back Ritchie and Matthews after they had 57