Hadlee’s double was against the odds

Press, 31 August 1984, Page 12

Hadlee’s double was against the odds

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Richard Hadlee was acclaimed in England this week as the greatest allround cricketer in the game today. There may be debate about that, especially among senior cricket citizens; but there is little doubt that Hadlee is the finest cricketer New Zealand has produced.

His double — 100 wickets and 1000 runs — in England this season was remarkable. Such a performance used to be almost commonplace. Wilfred Rhodes did it 16 times. In 1906 George Hirst scored 2000 runs and took 200 wickets; in 1937 Jim Parks made more than 3000 runs and took 100 wickets. The double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets was achieved 21 times, 1000 runs and 200 wickets six times, and in all, the basic double has now been done 304 times.

What makes Hadlee’s performance outstanding is that he reached his goal in only 21 matches. The last time it was performed, in 1967, Fred Titmus reached the goal in 25 games.

What used to make it reasonably easy for top players was that for many years there were two complete rounds in the county championship — 32 matches — and a good many other first-class fixtures available. Now there are only 24 championship matches, and it was thought that Titmus might well be the last to do the double. An interesting observa-

tion came from the “Guardian”: “there are few poor players in modern county cricket. In the past teams were full of sub-standard players who happened to be around on the day to make up a team, and as such proved easy prey for any reasonable bowler”.

The newspaper said that Hadlee’s double was not just a return to an old cricketing landmark, but an achievement fit to rank with the all-round feats of any age. It is the crowning feat in a remarkable career. Hadlee’s contribution to cricket has been immense, and it has not been only a statistical one, although he has played the major role in New Zealand’s emergence as a test-playing country

which can compete on level terms with all the others.

He has set a superb example on and off the field. His rhythmic, athletic run up, his graceful, powerful driving, are little songs of summer.

There is more to Hadlee than the cricketing graces. He found his peak in performance at the time oneday matches and television were creating a spectacular upsurge in support for cricket. Almost overnight, top players such as Hadlee were able to capitalise on their talents through writing, speaking and advertising.

Hadlee the businessman has been a success. But he has remained Hadlee the cricketer.Hiscontemporaries in the New Zealand team will testify to his determined approach, his burning desire to do well for his country, his eagerness and willingness to help others in the side. He is very much a team man, still. While New Zealand has players with Hadlee’s approach, it will prosper. There is no danger that Hadlee, in what remains of his first-class career, will allow profit motives to supercede pride in performance, loyalty to his team. His family has become New Zealand cricket’s royal line. Richard Hadlee is touched with the purple. He wears his crown easily.