The very first time I held a sight of great cricket statistics, sometimes back in year 1999, I was swelled with pride. Both the all time records for highest run scoring and wicket taking belonged to us Indians......the ever-so-slugger of International cricket. Sunny Gavaskar holds a distinctive place in my cricket books for he was a genius, the ultimate copy-book cricketer from yesteryear and certainly the hardest to dislodge for opposition bowlers be it Lillee, Wes Hall, Andy Roberts, Holding, Wasim Akram or Marshall. Kapil Dev's record though meant more to me for he was a medium pace bowler in INDIA (see the caps lock for extra emphasis) whose tireless, backbreaking work put him to the summit of International cricket. Couple of years later though, I took upon myself to analyse the statistics of no. 2 and 3 in Kapil's distinguished list. Sir Richard Hadlee was no. 2 in the list while Sir Botham at no. 4. Both were accorded the knighthoods by Queen of England for a reason. They took their wickets at better strike rates and averages than Kapil. Botham was a genuine speedster and a force to reckon with in his prime. He became docile only later in his career.
But this post likes to deal with the professional accomplishments of Sir Richard Hadlee. Professional word I put out there simply because he was a pro's pro. Throughout his career, New Zealand was perceived as a persistent underdog who always punched above their weights. Take their tour of Australia in 1986 and home series against WI of 1980 for reference. Sir Hadlee was instrumental, dominant and yet very prolific in both these historic series wins. In Gabba, He took 15 wickets in the match, 9/52 in the first innings and dismantled Australian batting line-up. He took wickets at a disconcerting average of 22 runs, held the immaculate fourth stump line length and relied on his accuracy to take bucketful of wickets. He was the first one to struggle with Mediocre Syndrome, which Sachin encountered during his captaincy years. Sir Hadlee couldn't quite grasp the fact that things that came so easily to him, why don't they occur naturally to others? After all, cricket for him was a simple game but he only later in his career realized that he had precocious talent that brought him enviable success, reputation, knighthood, oppositions' respect and needless to mention, the apathy of his fellow team mates. Kapil was no doubt in awe of this great man and wanted to overcome his legacy but didn't he became a universal symbol of an ultimate cricketing slugger? Sir Hadlee who took his 431 wickets in only 86 matches, Kapil toiled for them till 131 test matches. He tarnished his legacy instead when he wanted so much to overshadow Sir Hadlee's. For all the talks of great all-rounders, Sir Hadlee sits at the very top and very afar from his contemporaries in my list.......Exhausted, I have nothing else to add but God certainly doesn't make the likes of him anymore.............#Legend.........#Respect.........#WhatAPlayer
But this post likes to deal with the professional accomplishments of Sir Richard Hadlee. Professional word I put out there simply because he was a pro's pro. Throughout his career, New Zealand was perceived as a persistent underdog who always punched above their weights. Take their tour of Australia in 1986 and home series against WI of 1980 for reference. Sir Hadlee was instrumental, dominant and yet very prolific in both these historic series wins. In Gabba, He took 15 wickets in the match, 9/52 in the first innings and dismantled Australian batting line-up. He took wickets at a disconcerting average of 22 runs, held the immaculate fourth stump line length and relied on his accuracy to take bucketful of wickets. He was the first one to struggle with Mediocre Syndrome, which Sachin encountered during his captaincy years. Sir Hadlee couldn't quite grasp the fact that things that came so easily to him, why don't they occur naturally to others? After all, cricket for him was a simple game but he only later in his career realized that he had precocious talent that brought him enviable success, reputation, knighthood, oppositions' respect and needless to mention, the apathy of his fellow team mates. Kapil was no doubt in awe of this great man and wanted to overcome his legacy but didn't he became a universal symbol of an ultimate cricketing slugger? Sir Hadlee who took his 431 wickets in only 86 matches, Kapil toiled for them till 131 test matches. He tarnished his legacy instead when he wanted so much to overshadow Sir Hadlee's. For all the talks of great all-rounders, Sir Hadlee sits at the very top and very afar from his contemporaries in my list.......Exhausted, I have nothing else to add but God certainly doesn't make the likes of him anymore.............#Legend.........#Respect.........#WhatAPlayer
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