Who is the best new ball bowler of all time?

[shortpitched713]

Interestingly Hadlee opened the bowling in every match bar one, where he bowled 4th in both innings, behind 3 other pacers, including his older brother Dayle. He took 11/58, winning NZ the match against India and likely New Zealand’s first victory by an innings?

Remember seeing that scorecard and thought to myself "What kind of idiots are bowling Richard Hadlee at not just first, but second change?" And in both innings to boot.

 

[shortpitched713]

Did you see when I specifically said I wasn't answering the poll question.

Yeah, I saw. Just clarifying for other readers, who might be basing some of their conclusions for this poll, to those numbers. I get you aren't trying to do that.

 

[Swamp Witch Hattie]

Remember seeing that scorecard and thought to myself "What kind of idiots are bowling Richard Hadlee at not just first, but second change?" And in both innings to boot.

Given the results, the kind of idiots who might actually be geniuses. Before that test, Hadlee's stats as an opening bowler were 8 matches, 21 wickets, average 41.6, SR 77.0. In other words, absolutely terrible. They did the right thing in demoting Hadlee to second change bowler. Maybe they thought it would give Hadlee motivation to do well and it certainly seemed to do the trick. The mistake they then made was promoting him afterwards to being an opening bowler. They should have kept him as a second change bowler. He was never as good as an opening bowler. You just have to compare the stats:

Second change: average 5.27, SR 16.3

Opening bowler: average 22.75, SR 51.8

Hadlee's bowling career was badly affected by the Peter principle, i.e. when someone is promoted to their level of incompetence. Opening the bowling was Hadlee's level of incompetence. The same thing happened to Captain Kirk when he was made Admiral. Luckily, they eventually demoted him to Captain where he could again shine. To paraphrase Spock, being the second change bowler was Hadlee's first, best destiny; opening the bowling was a waste of material.

;-)

 

[howitzer]

Early career Hadlee was crazy inconsistent. In his first 20 Tests he had match figures of 11/58, 10/100, 7/130, 6/49 and 5/89. Across the other 15 Tests he averaged 57. That he went from that to the behemoth he became is a testament to his desire to succeed.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

This Hartley kid