And cars: Hadlee opens up
Hadlee is by most people’s measure New Zealand’s finest ever cricketer. He took a then record 431 wickets in 86 tests at an average of 22.29, including 36 times taking five wickets in an innings and nine times snaring 10 victims in a match.
He was also a handy bat down the order (averaging 27.16 in tests, including two centuries and 15 50s) and was considered one of the four great all-rounders the game produced in the 1980s, alongside Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev.
Hadlee was undoubtedly the inspiration behind an unprecedented era of success for the New Zealand team in the test arena, presiding over a 12-year unbeaten home test series record (sparked by victory over the then formidable West Indies in 1979-80) and historic series wins in Australia and England, among a string of notable feats.
However, he was not without his contentious moments during his career and he covered off on one of them in his interview with Smith — the
Sir Richard Hadlee
infamous car standoff from the 1985-86 tour of Australia.
At the end of that Australian summer Hadlee was named International Cricketer of the Year for an outstanding contribution to his side’s first series victory in Australia, which included an incredible 9-52 at the Gabba where he was all but unplayable. His prize was a flash new Alfa Romeo which, on this occasion, he decided to keep.
An almighty kerfuffle ensued over whether Hadlee should be allowed to keep the car, as he desired, or should have to top up the team fund by its value, as was the custom for individual prizes such as this. Eventually the players reluctantly agreed to let the great man retain his prize, with Hadlee supposedly providing a holiday in Taupo as recompense for his team-mates. It was, according to reports at the time, sparsely taken up.
Hadlee explained to Smith after being presented the keys to the car at the Sydney Cricket Ground and being told the manufacturers were prepared to ship it to New Zealand, he simply had a change of heart.
‘‘There was a point of difference,’’ he told Smith. ‘‘It was on object, if you like. It wasn’t until we were on the plane home that management said to me ‘Richard, you’re going to have to sell the car and put the money into team funds’.
‘‘I think that stigma of keeping the car stayed around for a long, long time. I’d like to think it’s all over now but I think there were some people that were very, very bitter about the decision.’’
‘‘The weight’s back on, I think I’ve got my sense of humour back and things are good.’’