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Richard Hadlee




  Nationality New Zealand
  Country New Zealand
  Country Abbrev NZ
  Name Richard Hadlee
  Picture Cricket_no_picpng
  Batting Style Left-handed batsman (LHB)
  Bowling Style Right-arm Fast (RF)
  Tests 86
  Test Runs 3124
  Test Bat Avg 2716
  Test 100s/50s 2/15
  Test Top Score 151
  Test Overs 3653
  Test Wickets 431
  Test Bowl Avg 2229
  Test 5s 36
  Test 10s 9
  Test Best Bowling 9/52
  Test Catches/stumpings 39/0
  ODIs 115
  ODI Runs 1751
  ODI Bat Avg 2161
  ODI 100s/50s 0/4
  ODI Top Score 79
  ODI Overs 10302
  ODI Wickets 158
  ODI Bowl Avg 2156
  ODI 5s 5
  ODI Best Bowling 5/25
  ODI Catches/stumpings 27/0
  Date 19 July
  Year 2005


Sir Richard John Hadlee MBE , nicknamed "Paddles" for his large feet, (born July 3 , 1951 ), New Zealand Cricket er (national team known as the Black Caps ), and universally regarded as their best-ever. A Bowling " All-rounder ", in an 86- Test career he took 431 Wicket s (at the time the world record), and was the first bowler to pass 400 wickets, with an excellent average of 22.29, and made 3124 Test runs at 27.16, including two centuries and 16 fifties.

For Nottinghamshire, on often overgrassed Trent Bridge pitches, his bowling was often quite deadly, and he gained some analyses that are remarkable in an era of covered pitches, notably his eight for 22 against Surrey in 1984. He represented Nottinghamshire between 1978 and 1987, but played only three full seasons due to injuries and Test calls. However, his bowling figures for those three seasons were quite remarkable:

Hadlee was a right-arm pace Bowler . Initially extremely fast, as the years progressed he gained accuracy, movement off the wicket and in the air, and a reputation that probably gained him quite a few wickets on its own. Perhaps his most potent delivery was the often unplayable outswinger, which became his main weapon in the latter stages of his career. His economical action was notable for his close approach to the wicket at the bowler's end (to the point where he occasionally knocked the Bails off in his approach), a line which meant he was able to trap many Batsmen Leg Before Wicket .

His middle-order batting was usually aggressive and enterprising, and, oddly enough, left-handed. Though he often failed badly against top bowlers, he was extremely effective at punishing lesser attacks, so much so that for Nottinghamshire in 1984 and 1987 he averaged over 50 (only W.G. Grace and George Hirst have come comparably close to ''heading both batting and bowling averages'' in a season).

Because of seasonal differences, Hadlee also played provincial cricket in New Zealand, representing Canterbury. In recognition of his achievements, the north stand of Jade Stadium is named the Hadlee stand, and New Zealand and Australia regularly compete in one-day matches for the Chappell-Hadlee trophy.

Hadlee was, unusually, knighted in 1990 for services to cricket before his playing career had finished. He is currently the chairman of the New Zealand board of selectors.


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