Almost easy—Hadlee

Press, 31 January 1983, Page 3

Almost easy—Hadlee

NZPA staff correspondent Adelaide Being named man of the match in one of the most sensational clashes in the history of World Series Cup cricket held only passing satisfaction for the brilliant New Zealand all-rounder, Richard Hadlee. He could have been forgiven some immodesty after being judged the dominant influence on a match which not only rewrote record books but which had been rated the greatest exhibition of one-day cricket since the advent of the World Series. “With that start and when you look at the over-all run rate we were chasing it was

incredible. We did it almost easily,” he said. Few would doubt that Hadlee’s magnificent innings of 79 had been a turning point in the game, steering a match which had seemed firmly in England’s grasp away from its control. But Hadlee would add that it was only through the support and encouragement of his teammates that he was able to keep struggling in 34deg. heat and against tremendous odds to produce the victory so many thought was impossible. “We’ve been in some very tight games,” Hadlee said. “But after being set a huge total, a record total, for victory we won almost con's vincingly. It was a win entirely against the odds. “It was unbelievable for us

to end up getting the record (for the highest score in a W.S.C. one-day match) when we were under such enormous pressure. The whole match was amazing.” “But we kept on plugging away and plugging away and somehow we got there ... It was strange. I suppose it got to about the fortieth over and I looked up at the scoreboard and at the run rate required and I thought, ‘Hey, we’re in with a chance here’. “Even at that stage we needed about eight runs an over so we tried to work the singles and the twos and we would meet up between each over and say, ‘Well, that’s our eight off that over, now let’s do the same thing again’.” Match report, Page 17.