Imran rates Hadlee finest all-rounder

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 32

Imran rates Hadlee finest all-rounder

By

DAVID LEGGAT

NZPA sports reporter Hyderabad The champion New Zealand cricketer, Richard Hadlee, has been given the nod as the world’s best all-rounder by one of his rivals for the title, the Pakistan captain, Imran Khan. In a wide-ranging television interview, Imran rated Hadlee the finest all-round player in the world. Imran said Hadlee's match-winning contribution to New Zealand cricket in recent years was unmatched. Heavy pressure is mounting on Imran to go

back on his stated intention of retiring from international cricket after the World Cup. Among those calling for him to change his mind are the former test stars, Sarfraz Nawaz, Nazar Mohammed and Zulfiqar, while the outstanding batsman, Javed Miandad, the man almost certain to succeed Imran, said he should stay on at least for Pakistan's tour of the West Indies next year. But while he agreed a series win in the Caribbean would be st fitting finale to a fine career, Imran said he would not make the tour. "Nowadays the tours

are arranged in such a fashion that you go and play a lot of matches, make money and come back. The way the West Indies tour has. been planned is going to be very tiring," he said. Imran — along with Hadlee, lan Botham and Kapil Dev regarded as among the world’s best all-round cricketers — would hot select his oneday World XI. He did say, however, that in any such team Hadlee and the West Indians, Malcolm Marshall and Viv Richards, would be automatic choices.