Cricket milestones loom for Hadlee

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 36

Cricket milestones loom for Hadlee

By

JOHN COFFEY

Richard Hadlee has returned to Christchurch after his triumphant season for Nottinghamshire in English cricket and a priod of rest and relaxation in Hawaii and Fiji. In assisting Nottinghamshire to its second placing behind Essex in the county championship, Hadlee became the first player for 17 years to complete a firstclass double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets. He also had a personal highest score of 210 not out against Middlesex at Lords.

Although he, has “not given a lot of thought” to the pending cricket season in this country, Hadlee expects to resume with his High School Old Boys club late this month or in early November.

That he will not be using the new ball for Old Boys in the opening round of the Trusteebank series will be of some relief to Marist, which is to make its first grade debut against Old Boys on October 13. “There is some talk of a festival match at Nelson on

November 4, so I will have to get some preparation in before that and as a buildup to the Shell series,” Hadlee said yesterday. Canterbury is to make an early start to its Shell campaign, with a home game against Wellington beginning on December 13.

“I still have a lot of work to do, but have not yet had much time to think cricket because other obligations are taking up my time. “But my other commit-

ments will not be as hectic as last season, when they caused a few problems. It is much easier in England — over there I just play cricket,” he said.

Another Hadlee volume is also under way. “Hadlee At The Double” is being prepared for publication in England. Because of a lack of time, Hadlee has left the writing to someone else. Hadlee has long set himself specific targets to spur himself along, and he is now within 21 wickets of reaching 1000 at first-class level — “that should be relatively easy to attain.” Depending on his international duties, Hadlee should also close rapidly on Tom Burtt’s record of 241 wickets for Canterbury. Dick Motz (239) is next, and Hadlee is third with 216.

But even more illustrious milestones lie ahead when Pakistan tours this country in January and February. Hadlee at present has 235 wickets and 1820 runs in test cricket — and he admits that yet another double, of 250 and 2000, “would be very nice.”