Â鶹APP

Sir Richard Hadlee at Fills the Basin for Christchurch On March 13, 2011. By Kristina D.C. Hoeppner –

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Richard Hadlee

Sir Richard John Hadlee MBE  is a former cricketer from New Zealand. Hadlee is largely recognized as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, as well as one of the game’s best fast bowlers. He was born on 3 July 1951 at St Albans, Christchurch. He is the son of Walter Hadlee and the brother of Dayle and Barry. His former wife Karen also played international cricket for New Zealand.

However, here are the top 10 fascinating facts about Richard Hadlee that you should know if you are a fan of cricket.

1. Wisden named him the second greatest Test bowler of all time

Wisden’s statistical analysis of every single Test match ranked Sri Lankan spinner Kumar Sangakkara three spots ahead of his Australian spin opponent Shane Warne.

Between them are New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee and Sydney Barnes, whose 189 Tests for England from 1901/02 to 1913/14 yielded an average of 16.43, the lowest among 20th century Test players.

2. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Hadlee was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on April 3, 2009.  He is the most well-known member of the Hadlee cricketing family. The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame honors “the achievements of the game’s legends throughout its long and distinguished history.” [1] It was unveiled on 2 January 2009 in Dubai by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in collaboration with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) as part of the ICC’s centenary celebrations.

3. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer 

Sir Richard Hadlee at Fills the Basin for Christchurch On March 13, 2011. By Kristina D.C. Hoeppner –

Hadlee was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2018 and underwent tumor removal surgery.  According to a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket on behalf of Hadlee’s wife Lady Dianne, the 66-year-old has undergone surgery to remove a tumor.

“As a precaution, additional treatment in the form of chemotherapy will begin shortly and will last for a few months,” the statement stated.

4. His family represented New Zealand

The Hadlee family as a whole has represented New Zealand at the highest level. His father, Walter Hadlee, was a former test captain of the country, and both of his brothers, Dayle and Barry Hadlee, played for the national team. Karen Marsh, Hadlee’s ex-wife, also represented New Zealand in the 1978 Women’s World Cup.

5. He also played provincial cricket in New Zealand, representing Canterbury

A bust of Hadlee at the Twelve Local Heroes display, Christchurch. By Bob and Nancy –

The Hadlee stand was named after Richard Hadlee and other members of the Hadlee family who have made contributions to Canterbury and New Zealand cricket. It is now demolished from the earthquake-damaged AMI Stadium. The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, in which New Zealand and Australia frequently participate in one-day matches, is named after the Australian Chappell family and the New Zealand Hadlee family.

6. He established the Sir Richard Hadlee Sports Trust

Hadlee founded The Sir Richard Hadlee Sports Trust in August 1990. It was established to assist athletes in difficult conditions in their pursuit of success in their chosen sporting or cultural activity. The Sir Richard Hadlee Sports Trust criteria are as follows: the applicant must be under the age of 25, must be from the Canterbury region of New Zealand, the request for assistance must be specifically for sporting or cultural purposes, and the applicant is disadvantaged, facing hardship, or has special circumstances that prevent him or her from pursuing his or her sporting or cultural endeavors. The Sir Richard Hadlee Sports Trust is supported by the generosity of the community as well as corporate sponsors CTV, Lion Nathan, Newstalk ZB, and Vodafone.

7. He received many sporting awards

Hadlee and the New Zealand Team after first win Against England, 1978, By Archives New Zealand –

Hadlee has garnered numerous prizes during his career, including In 1980, he was awarded the MBE for services to New Zealand sport. In 1990, he was knighted for services to cricket. Winner of the Windsor Cup 13 times, including 12 straight years, for the season’s most meritorious bowling performance,1980 New Zealand Sportsman of the Year,1982 Wisden Cricketer of the Year,1986 New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, Sportsperson of the last 25 years in New Zealand 1987 (shared with runner John Walker), 1987 New Zealand Sportsperson of the Decade.

8. His international records and awards

Hadlee became the first player in ODI history to score 1,000 runs while also taking 100 wickets. He was the second-fastest bowler in 25 Test matches to obtain five-wicket hauls, the fastest seamer (62 matches), and the third-fastest in terms of innings played.

He took 36 five-wicket hauls in Tests and five in ODIs, the former a Test cricket record at the time of his retirement.
Hadlee grabbed 10 or more wickets in nine Test matches, with his best match bowling stats of 15/123 against Australia at The Gabba in 1985. He scored two Test match hundreds, the greatest of which was 151 not out.

9. His batting style

Richard Hadlee is bowling and Ian Botham is at the non-strikers’ end. Basin Reserve, February 1978, By Archives New Zealand –

Hadlee was a left-handed middle-order batsman who batted aggressively. Though his record against elite international bowlers was not as strong, he was efficient at punishing weaker assaults. He concluded his career with 15 Test fifties and two Test centuries, and he averaged above 50 for Nottinghamshire in 1984, 1986, and 1987. (only W.G. Grace and George Herbert Hirst have come comparably close to heading both batting and bowling averages in a season).

10. He was appointed an MBE in the 1980 Queen’s Birthday Honours List 

Commander of the Order of the British Empire, United Kingdom. Type II, Civil division. Private Collection. By Alexeinikolayevichromanov –

Hadlee received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1980 and a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1990 for his services to cricket. He was previously the chairman of the New Zealand board of selectors.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British chivalric order that recognizes contributions to the arts and sciences, philanthropic and humanitarian activities, and public service outside of the civil service.