He is New Zealand’s biggest cricketing legend. Sir Richard Hadlee, now constructing a five-lane indoor facility at the Hagley Oval, believes cricket is a bowler’s game. “A bowler dictates play, controls the game.”
Excerpts from an exclusive chat with the ‘Sultan of Swing’.
On The ODI World Cup final that left several fans angry
No side lost. To bring it back to boundaries was very unfair to the team batting first. The side batting second knew they would be better placed if they scored more boundaries in the event of a tie. We could have have had another Super Over or the trophy could have been shared.
On Jasprit Bumrah
He’s very unusual and unorthodox. He has a short run-up, or is it a run-up at all. He just walks across, a stutter and the last four or five paces. He is a muscle bowler, a power bowler.
The golden pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult
When one of them doesn’t play the bowling line-up looks different. There is a little competition between them, one is right and the other a left-armer. Different angles, swing.
The dimension Kyle Jamieson has added to the attack
We had a very tall bowler in the ’50s but subsequently we have not had such a bowler. He gets bounce, bowls the off-stump line. He is our great find of the summer.
Virat Kohli’s ‘weakness’ in these conditions
Southee is Kohli’s weakness, he’s got him out many times with swing. Against Southee, he is planting his front foot forward, not fully so, and if the ball does something, he’s in trouble. If the ball moves away, he gets caught behind, If it nips back he is leg-before.
Batsman from this era he would have found challenging
Steve Smith. He’s unorthodox, stands on leg-stump and by the time you deliver moves to middle and off. And, if you are a bit wide, he lets you go. If you are closer to the stumps, he whips you through mid-wicket. Early on, you should bowl at his off-stump. If he misses, he can be leg-before.
Most impressive contemporary paceman
(Josh) Hazlewood. I love his simplicity. He is tall, runs in straight, good action and hits the stumps. Line and length, good pace and good variations.
Thoughts on DRS
You should take it away from the players. It should be in the hands of the third umpire. If he spots something, he should inform the standing umpires and the decision reviewed. I don’t want players to challenge decisions.
Hardest batsman to bowl to in his time
Geoff Boycott was the hardest to dismiss. He only played the ball when he had to. Left a lot outside off. Others like Viv Richards and Greg Chappell gave you a chance.
On day-night Tests
Day-night Tests add another dimension to cricket. But the pink ball moves a lot under lights giving one side a massive advantage in the last session. It’s not a good thing.
Threat to Test cricket
Test cricket has to be protected by the administrators. It is the foundation of the game. Once you lose Test cricket, you will not get it back. T20 is not real cricket.
On spot and match-fixing
There is temptation. Players are offered life-changing amounts. Do the right thing. Do not lose your reputation, you wont get it back.
