Hadlee pays tribute to nemesis

Kiwi cricket icon Sir Richard Hadlee has expressed his shock at the sudden passing of former Australian star Dean Jones.

Jones died at the age of 59 in Mumbai on Thursday night (NZT) of a suspected heart attack. He was working in India as a commentator for the Indian Premier League.

Jones played for Australia from 1984 to 1994, overlapping for a sixyear period with Hadlee, who retired from international cricket in 1990 and is considered one of the finest fast bowlers in history and New Zealand’s best player.

“At 59, I mean that's far too young. As a player and a competitor way back in our days in the ’80s, yes, we were at each other, no question about that,” Hadlee said.

“We had some good contests on the field, but off the field, we had mutual respect, and over 30-odd years, we developed a wonderful friendship. We did a lot of gigs together, we took the mickey out of each other. [I] had Christmas Day with him actually last Christmas at his home in Romsey.

“That's the type of fella he was. He just had a lot of respect for other players, just loved cricket, not only as a player but as a commentator, as

There was always a look, a nod, a wink, a glare, and that's intimidation in itself.

a coach,” Hadlee said.

“At his home, he's got part of the MCG playing outfield as part of his lawn, so that just shows you how much he loved cricket.”

Jones played for Australia in 52 tests and 164 one-day internationals. He was known as a pioneering batsman in the 50-over game, as well as having impressive speed and fielding qualities.

“He was a great batsman in test cricket and a wonderful one-day player, and I think he set the benchmark in one-day cricket actually, more for his running between the wickets,” Hadlee said.

“He was so fast, stole a lot of runs and always had a smile on his face when he got to the other end.”

Hadlee, who claimed 431 test wickets, had the better of Jones in their duels — most notably dismissing the Aussie for 2, 0 and 4 in the 1987 series. Jones did have some revenge though, claiming Hadlee’s scalp — his only in tests — in the second test in Adelaide.

“In our engagements, we didn't say much of anything; I can't recall having a verbal stoush or anything like that. There was always a look, a nod, a wink, a glare, and that's intimidation in itself.

“He said to me, ‘If you had bowled to me, you wouldn't have gotten 400 test wickets'.”

Meanwhile, Scott Styris, a former Black Caps all-rounder and co-host of Star Sport’s Select Dugout, described how he had breakfast with Jones and watched him exercise in the hotel only hours before his death.

“That was his way of keeping fit because, of course, we are in the [Covid-19] bubble here in Mumbai,” Styris said. “Who would have thought merely a couple of hours later, he had this heart attack.”