by The Professor » Wed Feb 01, 2017 7:26 am
On this day in 1981 Australia and New Zealand played out a controversy laden ODI.
This is a match which be remembered more for moments of contention than for moments of cricketing prowess.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat and were going well until the 31st over. The Australian captain, Greg Chappell, was on 52 when he was seemingly caught by Martin Snedden. Inexplicably, however, umpires Peter Cronin and Donald Weser saw the catch, Chappell refused to acknowledge Snedden's insistence it was a clean catch and the umpires were forced to adjudge him not out. Television replays revealed that Chappell should have walked. The captain went on to add another 38 runs and formed a partnership of 145 runs between himself and Graeme Wood. The pair were instrumental in getting Australia to 235-4. This controversy acted as a mere precursor of what was to come.
New Zealand began well and the openers, John Wright and Bruce Edgar, put on 85 for the first wicket. Inevitably, Chappell got Australia back into it with the wickets of Wright, Geoff Howarth and Mark Burgess. Despite this Edgar marched on.
With one over left New Zealand were 221-6, needing 15 to win. Edgar was at the non-striker's end and Greg had chosen his brother Tony to bowl the final over. Richard Hadlee hit the first ball for four but was out to the next delivery. Eleven needed from four balls. Ian Smith came to the crease. His first ball went for two and the second for four. Seven needed from two balls. The pressure got to Smith and he went for a maximum and was bowled.
It was Brian McKechnie's job to hit a six to tie the game off his first ball and the match's last delivery. The Australian team were deliberating as McKechnie approached the middle. Greg Chappell asked his brother to bowl underarm. He consulted with the umpires as to the legality of this and the umpires informed the batsman of what was to happen. Chappell 'bowled' the ball and it dropped in front of the bowler and nurdled along the ground towards the batsman.
The repercussions of this, short term and long term, were disgust. McKechnie threw his bat away and walked off. Edgar flicked the v signs at Chappell and joined suit. It was not just the players who voiced their outrage. The New Zealand Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, described it as an act of cowardice whilst his Australian counterpart, Malcolm Fraser, was forced into refusing to back the captain.
The Australia Cricket Board had the final say on the matter: "The board deplores Greg Chappell's action and has advised him of the Board's strong feelings on this matter and of his responsibilities of Australia's captain to uphold the spirit of the game at all times. We acknowledge his action was within the laws of the game but that it was totally contrary to the spirit in which cricket has been, and should be, played"
"It has been said of the unseen army of the dead, on their everlasting march, that when they are passing a rural cricket ground the Englishman falls out of the ranks for a moment to look over the gate and smile."