Whenever Australians and New Zealanders get together and talk about sports, one single delivery in a cricket match 23 years ago invariably enters the discussion.
When Greg Chappell asked his younger brother, Trevor, to bowl underarm at Brian McKechnie on the last ball of a limited-overs international in 1981, depriving the New Zealand tailender any chance of hitting a six to tie the match, it sparked a bitter trans-Tasman feud.
Greg Chappell survived as Australia’s captain but Trevor Chappell’s international career was comparatively short-lived.
In a TV documentary this week preceding the two-test series between Australia and New Zealand starting on Thursday, Greg Chappell revealed the underarm ball decision was a ”cry for help” to Australian officials to do something about a grueling playing schedule.
McKechnie said he’s heard that excuse before.
As unlikely as it was for McKechnie to hit a six, that’s what was required to tie the game and force a third and deciding match in the best-of-three final series.
Chappell did what he could to ensure that didn’t happen.
Then, underarm deliveries weren’t strictly illegal, but were against the spirit of cricket. The laws have since been tightened.
”The pressures of cricket in Australia, the playing schedule… I’ve heard it before,” McKechnie told Tuesday’s The Australian newspaper, saying Australians Doug Walters and Rod Marsh had previously tried to explain their captain’s decision to him.
”I don’t understand why he did it. I’ll take his word. He was under pressure during the game. He wanted to leave the field during the game. He stood at long-off, which is near the boundary. That’s unusual for a captain.”
McKechnie, who threw his bat away in disgust after blocking the last ball as it rolled along the pitch, is still involved in cricket as a national selector.
He said he wished he hadn’t been involved in one of cricket’s most notorious moments.
”I just wish it never happened to me,” said McKechnie.
”Everywhere I go in New Zealand you can bet your life someone will ask me a question about it. It was 23 years ago.”
McKechnie said the incident had one positive impact in New Zealand.
”The positive spin in New Zealand was that it increased interest in cricket and added to good, old-fashioned trans-Tasman rivalry in a number of sports.” – Sapa-AP