‘Our GREATEST TEST
Their most candid interview ever Lady Dianne & Sir Richard Hadlee ’
Sir Richard Hadlee is crying. For the last 30 minutes, Richard – or Paddles as he’s affectionately known by most of the nation – has been talking about what he calls “his greatest life achievement”, the publishing of the diary kept by his father, legendary New Zealand cricket captain Walter Hadlee, during his team’s 1949 tour of England.
But as the conversation turns to his wife of 18 years, Lady Dianne, his voice grows shaky as he tells of the emotional toll The Skipper’s Diary – an incredible record of both cricket and history in post-war Britain, which took Richard years to transcribe, edit and publish – has taken on both of them.
“To be fair, she’s found me really difficult over these last four years because I was focusing on the book and it became very dominant,” he tells.
“I hope she’s forthcoming about that. She knew how important it was to me. You can see I’m getting quite emotional now. I’m getting teary.”
Dianne (64) is indeed very forthcoming about just how tough the last few years have been for the usually intensely private pair, with Richard’s obsessional approach to the project leading to very little time for anything else – including their relationship.
“Well, it’s been very, very, very hard work to cope with him,” she says bluntly. “When he says things like ‘It’s my greatest lifetime achievement’ – and that’s coming from someone who has three world records – that’s how meaningful it was to him. But we handle stress very differently. One of us throws his toys and the other doesn’t!
“When it’s a short-term project, it’s fine, but long-term, it’s draining on a relationship,” she continues. “However, I have the skills to manage my own stress as well as his.”
“It’s fair to say I’ve been a bit of a pain with it,” Richard (66) agrees with a hint of a grimace.
While the couple share many similarities – their direct manner, an innate sense of integrity and honesty, and a rather amazing ability to laugh at themselves and each other, no matter how dark the joke – they are the first to admit they’re very different.
The single-mindedness and determination that made Richard New Zealand’s greatest cricketer don’t necessarily equate to harmony in the marital home, Dianne nods.
But it’s their differences that have always made this couple work. The key? That trademark Hadlee sense of humour – well, Dianne’s humour, anyway. She doesn’t reckon her husband is very funny. “He laughs at his own stories and then people laugh at him laughing,” she tells, grinning.
“I’m the one who brings the humour and balance back into it. All through Rich’s playing days, people would describe him as being very singleminded and I loosen that. His moods were very hard on me.”
To illustrate her point, Dianne sends her husband to the kitchen to fetch a mug she bought a few months ago.
“Everything’s got to be done this instant with Rich, so I said,
‘If that’s the case, then you’ll have to bring me a cup of tea in this,’” she explains, holding out the cup which reads, “Let me drop everything and work on your problems”.
“Oh, this interview is going to create a brand-new headline,” remarks Richard, returning the cup to the cupboard.
“’Hadlee has breakdown?” Dianne suggests with a hoot.
“Yeah, again!” replies
Richard with a grin, referring to his well-publicised battle with depression in the early ’80s.
Black humour and not-sosubtle jibes are constant with these two. In the half an hour the Weekly has been at their Christchurch home, countless mock insults have already been flung about regarding Dianne’s beautiful make-up – “the make-up artist has done some wonders there. Wait until it has to come off”– and Richard’s inability to think outside the square – “He’s a basic lad,
aren’t you, Rich?” But jokes aside, it’s clear the couple couldn’t adore each other more.
And now that The Skipper’s Diary is finally complete, as is the accompanying 28-date, nationwide promotional tour that Dianne joined her husband on – “No show without Punch,” laughs Richard – neither could be prouder of the book. Richard in particular notes it’s the perfect tribute to his beloved dad, who passed away in 2006.
“My brothers and I always knew about the diary because Dad would pull it out and read it to us when we were youngsters, but we didn’t understand the importance of it. No other cricket team in New Zealand besides the 49ers has ever been named after the year they played.
They were the first team to give New Zealand cricket credibility and respect.
‘All through his playing days, people would describe Richard as being very single-minded. His moods were very hard on me’
“The book is my greatest ever achievement, and that’s a strange thing to say, with the bowling and that. But that’s how much it meant to me to get the team’s story out there, and my dad’s story too. It was an emotional journey that I had to go through, reading the diary and learning more and more about him as I did. I’m extremely proud of it – and greatly relieved it’s over!”
Throughout the eight-and-ahalf-month cricket tour, Walter kept a meticulous diary of events. It’s all in there, from the five-week-long voyage by boat through to the four test matches the 49ers played against England, all of which, amazingly, our team of amateur players drew.
Travelling to post-war Britain meant special challenges for the Kiwi lads, who were entering a climate of austerity, rationing, and doom and gloom, armed with four million food parcels from New Zealand.
“To get out of the negativity, the British people turned to sport,” nods Richard. “Thirty thousand people would turn up to watch the games. So yes, it’s a cricket book, but it’s also a fascinating look at history.”
And in the centre of it all was Walter, the Kiwis’ inspirational captain, who led the team to unprecedented success and an incredible legacy. They returned to Aotearoa with a tour profit of more than £16,000 – a million dollars in today’s money – which ensured the future of cricket in New Zealand.
But for Richard personally, the years scouring Walter’s diary – much of it needing to be read with a magnifying glass – proved worthwhile as he discovered just how similar he is to his dad.
“I did a lot of things in my career that he did, subconsciously and without him actually telling me – the goal-setting, the targets, the preparation.
“He was a wonderful father. He was strict, though, and he had very strong religious beliefs and strong values. There’s five of us boys, three of whom played for New Zealand, and he treated us all equally.”
And for all the suffering the couple endured, Dianne is thrilled they persevered and got the book out as a fitting tribute to her beloved father-in-law.
“He and Richard’s mother
Lilla have always been incredible to me,” she says. “I’m the second wife and no Hadlee had ever divorced before. Yet they were like a second mum and dad to me. My father died recently and I found a Christmas card they’d sent him that said, ‘Thank you for the gift of Dianne, the daughter we never had.’ Walter was a very special man.”
Now, Richard and Dianne’s focus has turned to shifting the books, thousands of which are currently sitting in the garage. “We’ve invested a lot of money into it,” admits Richard. “Over time, we’ll reimburse ourselves, but if we can help others at the same time, that’s great – we have three different charities who we’re working with.
“While I did most of the shaping and editing, Dianne did everything else – tech support, marketing, promotion...” he pauses and throws a look at his wife, his eyes gleaming. “Cooking, ironing, washing!”
“Oh, he’s hilarious, isn’t he?” Dianne remarks with an eye roll. “I just ignore him!”
Their joint efforts publicising the book have meant they’ve had to emerge from the cocoon of privacy they so cherish, but Dianne says it’s been worth it.
“We do usually live our lives very privately,” she admits. “When we’re out in a restaurant, it’s always, ‘Excuse me, I don’t want to interrupt your meal, but...’ It happens all the time. So when we’re at home, we’re at home. People expect us to have cooks and cleaners and things. Of course we don’t!”
Retreating back to the lounge, Richard apparently can’t resist as he yells out, “Yeah, we’ve already got that!” and points back to Dianne, who shoots him a look that manages to be both withering and amused.
“You’re not funny!” comes the inevitable retort.