Famous Cricketers No 79 - Richard Hadlee

when six, Hadlee went on to make 133*, facing just 132 balls and hitting four sixes and twelve fours, and with Derek Randall (97) shared a stand of 127 for the sixth wicket. Hadlee gave another splendid all-round performance at Canterbury as Nottinghamshire won their first Championship game of the season, defeating Kent by ten wickets. Coming in to bat at 172 for 5, Hadlee made 67 and with Paul Johnson (108) pulled things round for Nottinghamshire with a stand of 107 for the sixth wicket. Then when Kent were forced to follow on, Hadlee (6-44) destroyed their second innings, claiming a hat-trick by dismissing Neil Taylor (4), Derek Aslett (0) and Chris Tavaré (0) and thus reducing the home side to 9 for 3 and then later to 53 for 6. An innings of 84 and figures of 4 for 58 could not prevent Worcestershire winning by ten wickets at Kidderminster. Hadlee took “three wickets [all lbw] in seven balls” ( Wisden ), sending back Phil Neale (18), Stuart Lampitt (0) and Steven Rhodes (0) but Worcestershire recovered well from this set back. However, against Leicestershire, Hadlee enabled Nottinghamshire to record a resounding success. Match figures of 9 for 83 by the New Zealander meant that the Grace Road side failed to reach two hundred in either innings and in their second innings Wisden records: “…Hadlee, in a spell of five for 4, took the wickets of [Nigel] Briers [71], [Tim] Boon [0] and [Paddy] Clift [0] in the space of five deliveries…”. During Nottinghamshire’s innings Hadlee, facing just 83 balls, hit 77 and with Johnson (125) added 157 for the sixth wicket to put the Trent Bridge side firmly in control. Derbyshire suffered practically the identical fate as Leicestershire, losing to Clive Rice’s men by an innings and 33 runs. Hadlee’s contribution to his side’s latest success was an innings of 70 and a partnership of 126 for the fifth wicket with Mick Newell (203*). Hadlee (6-53) caused plenty of problems for Sussex (232) during their first innings at Eastbourne, and then in his next match at Worksop he took 5 for 39 as Warwickshire were forced to follow on. There was more success for Nottinghamshire in the home fixture with Somerset due, once again, to a magnificent all-round display by Hadlee. The New Zealander had a wonderful game, returning match figures of 12 for 83, scoring a fine century and then helping to knock off the winning runs when the Trent Bridge side began to falter in the final stages of the match. As so often before Hadlee came to the rescue when his side were in trouble at 140 for 6 on the second day. Scoring 101, with two sixes and twelve fours, he was well supported by Chris Scott (30), who helped him put on 102 for the seventh wicket. “The match was dominated by Hadlee, who became the first Nottinghamshire player since 1921 to score a hundred and take ten wickets in a match at Trent Bridge” ( Wisden ). Nottinghamshire won their third Championship game in a row when they beat Northamptonshire by an innings and 132 runs. Hadlee captured eight wickets in this match and returned figures of 6 for 60 in the first innings. In the game against Derbyshire Hadlee (77 and 44*) scored 121 runs in the match and with John Birch (63) put on 130 for the sixth wicket to help Nottinghamshire establish a first innings lead of 50, but this game ended in a draw. Nottinghamshire’s last two Championship games both ended in emphatic wins for the Trent Bridge side, giving them the County Championship title with Hadlee claiming 18 more wickets for just another 122 runs! Against Sussex the New Zealander took 10 for 46 in the match as the visitors were dismissed for scores of just 123 and 80; then against Glamorgan he captured eight wickets in the game, taking 6 for 38 in the second innings, the ninth time that Hadlee had taken five wickets in an innings in Championship fixtures during the season. Furthermore, as he had done the previous year, Hadlee, once again, headed both the batting and bowling averages for Nottinghamshire in all first-class games. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 300. Nottinghamshire v Hampshire, Bournemouth, May 20, 21, 22 (Match drawn) c V.P.Terry b T.M.Tremlett 7 198 27 12 44 3 C.G.Greenidge b 331-7d V.P.Terry c D.W.Randall M.D.Marshall c P.Johnson c M.C.J.Nicholas b R.J.Maru 44 249 301. Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire, Middlesbrough, May 30, June 1, (2) (Match drawn) not out 28 347 19 8 35 3 A.A.Metcalfe c B.C.Broad 218 J.D.Love c D.W.Randall D.L.Bairstow c B.N.French - - - - 42-4 66