Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the underarm incident that created perhaps the biggest cricket controversy since the Bodyline series of 1932-33.
Talk of that one-dayer between Australia and New Zealand on the MCG of 1981 and you remember Trevor Chappell the reluctant executioner, Greg Chappell the ruthless executive and Brian McKechnie the disgruntled victim.
But the man who was on the field all 100 overs, fielding and batting, is forgotten. He is the New Zealand left-hand opening batsman Bruce Edgar, now settled in Sydney.
I had the good fortune to discuss this event with him recently. This is from the horse’s mouth!
“I am amused when people ask me whether I played in that match”, he recalls. “No one seems to remember that I had carried the bat scoring 102 not out and was at the bowler’s end when the idea of bowling the underarm was conceived, discussed and executed.”
Let’s revisit the thriller with a twist in the tail. It was the third final in a series of four. New Zealand had won the first in Sydney by 78 runs but lost the second in Melbourne by seven wickets. The series was locked one-all with two matches to go.
Now to the third final and perhaps the most talked about ODI. The spectators had no inkling of what was to transpire until the last ball was bowled, or rather, under-armed!
The first controversy of the match was when Greg Chappell was given not out when brilliantly caught by a diving Martin Snedden off Lance Cairns.
Greg, on 50 then, refused to walk and went on to make 90. The visitors were already feeling peeved with him. Eventually he was caught by Edgar and the innings ended.
“I caught him low down in the slips and we were left to score 236 runs to win”, he remembers.
The Kiwis were on 6 for 221, chasing 15 runs off the final over from Trevor Chappell.
Richard Hadlee straight drove the first ball of the over for a four but was LBW off the second. Wicket-keeper and now TV commentator Ian Smith took two runs each off the next two deliveries and was bowled by the fifth. NZ now 8 for 229. Six required.
And in came Brian McKechnie, a former rugby player, who had never hit a six in his first-class career. And he needed to hit a six off the last ball to tie the match.
“Take us through, Bruce, the last ball when you were at Trevor Chappell’s end, with a century under your belt”, I asked.
“There were discussions galore, Kersi. Greg talking to Trevor and to the umpires Cronin and Weser, the umpires informing Brian [McKechnie] and me about the underarm delivery, Rod Marsh imploring Greg not to go ahead with this strategy which will have damaging complications… Anyway, Trevor did as he was instructed.
“When the infamous underarm was bowled, Brian blocked the ball and tossed his bat to the ground in disgust.”
The New Zealand captain Geoff Howard ran onto the field to protest. He had mistakenly believed underarm bowling to be illegal. [It was made illegal after this match.]
And the rest is history. The fallout was widespread. For this unwise ploy Greg was chastised by the Australian Cricket Board, Sir Donald Bradman, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and New Zealand PM Robert Muldoon who called the underarm delivery “an act of cowardice appropriate to a team playing in yellow.”
Eldest brother Ian Chappell condemned this action by writing, “Fair dinkum, Greg, how much pride do you sacrifice to win $35,000? Because, brother, you sacrificed a lot in front of a huge TV audience and 52,825 people.”
When I had interviewed Greg last year, he had told me that he “absolutely regretted the decision which was made in the heat of the moment.”
McKechnie recently said, “Trevor didn’t say sorry at the end of the match or the next day. We are on talking terms now and I have no ill feelings.”
Bruce Edgar, now 54, is a fitness fanatic, cycling hundreds of kilometres a day on occasions.
He scored 1958 runs at 30.59 in 39 Tests with three centuries, his highest being 161 against Australia in the 1981 Auckland Test.
This innings was behind New Zealand’ surprise victory over Australia. He made 1814 runs at 30.74 in 64 ODIs with 102 not out in the above discussed MCG match as his only century. The number 102 is so close to his heart that it forms part of his email address. He is nicknamed Underarm Bruce.
Gary McDonald
Guest
I still hate that day I was an 11 year old Aussie kid and it was wrong then and still is now. I dont need to bring up other peoples or other incidents of shame to admit we got it wrong those that do just dont get it and never will. Us Aussies need to remember the NZ part of the anzac legend we cherish
Klee gluckman
Guest
New Zealand did not throw that game. Akram and Younis were all over us. Pakistan came back in 93-94,and beat us 4-1. Also Crowe went off and Wright did have the one day tactical nouse that Crowe did. Pakistan were on fire at the business end of the tournament.
Bobinator
Guest
Yes, Smails, it's virtually beyond doubt that australia would have won the game anyway. That must be why aussies are so proud of that moment, right?
sheek
Guest
As Roarers would know, I'm inclined to be original & against the grain of popular comment in my opinions sometimes. When the incident first occurred that summer afternoon back in early February of 1981, I was as suitably enraged as anyone. I listened to the end of the match on the radio as I went to pick up my girlfriend at the time, a stunning blond of Polish extraction. I quickly made my way into her home & asked to see the news, where I got to see a replay on the sports segment. It took me about an hour to calm down, I was that pissed off. Having a beautiful blond companion appeased me greatly! As the years passed, I mellowed. Now I have an entirely different take. Greg Chappell played within the laws, if not the spirit of the game that day. Like Douglas Jardine during bodyline back in 1932/33, Chappell has every right to stand behind his decision, & tell everyone who disagrees to "bugger off". He doesn't need to apologise to anyone. As for Robert Muldoon, not only did he look like a pig, he had the manners of one. My apologies to all the true pigs in the world. I notice many Roarers snipe at All Blacks captain Richie McCaw for being constantly off-side. Standing at the edge of the law, or over it as often as possible is essential DNA for any great openside flanker. Let the referee have the balls to ping him. That's what refs are for. If I was coaching openside flankers, I would tell them they're no good to me if they're not willing to stand on the edge or over of the onside law. Kiwis won't like me saying this, but McCaw & Chappell are soul brothers, except that while McCaw will regularly stretch/break the laws (& I say hurrah to him), Chappell broke no law that fateful afternoon. Now here's another take. The culprits always seem to escape scrutiny. I'm talking about the administrators who run the game & the officials in charge of the MCG. The schedule in those days was ridiculous, like it's been most years since. And the MCG wicket in those days was a disgrace. So Chappell is right to say he was physically, mentally & emotionally fatigued & fed up. As far as I'm aware, no-one died that day at the cricket..........
Republican
Guest
djf and others No I am not the judge I assure you. My opinion in respect of this is well known amongst fellow Roarers - no need for me to get sucked in again. I am more concerned about my family and the good people of FNQ presently to be perfectly honest but yes, PM Piggy Muldoon was spot on in my opinion, in respect of that particular unsporting act by our national cricket side. My deconstruction to do with the inherent sanctimony that we have come to expect from NZ has not changed, but I you will not hear any more on the subject from me today. Good night and good luck - especially to those in FNQ.
Judge Smails
Guest
Chappell, even in the year 2011 is still a better batsmen and can take catches at first slip, not to mention better captaincy decisions on the paddock. Bring back Chappello!
Brett McKay
Guest
Well no, I'm not agreeing with that at all, because a) Greg Chappell is in his 60s, and b) it's not even a point of discussion here...
Brett McKay
Guest
djf, that's a good post, and I'm sure if we dig deep enough, there would be plenty of things in plenty of sports that have gone on which in hindsight was/is against the spirit of the game. The underarm is something that happened, it's a part of our collective sporting history as long-term rivals. Most importantly, lessons were learned, and it can't be repeated...
djfrobinson
Guest
Either Judge is Republican ... or Republican has started his own cloning facility. Brett the under-arm decision is done and dusted. I, as a New Zealander, do not see it as any different to Andy Haden taking a drive out of the lineout while playing Wales at Cardiff Arms Park, when New Zealand was about to lose the game. All Sport teams want to be on the winning side. I do not agree with decision to play the ball with an underarm, nor do I like what Andy did, however its sport and we have umpires and refs for a reason It’s up to the ref / umpire to make the call on the day; they both did what they could get away with in the pursuit of Victory
Judge Smails
Guest
End of the day, and I am sure we all agree on this. You would have Greg Chappell as captain over this Pup Clarke character any day of the week.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
I've gotta say the quote by the NZ PM Robert Muldoon who called the underarm delivery “an act of cowardice appropriate to a team playing in yellow" is a real classic. A sledge to be proud of, even if it was against us. We deserved it!
darwin stubby
Guest
keep digging that hole - it gets more amusing with every post
Brett McKay
Guest
Jerry, that's esentially what I mean, I guess. I've not seen any great evidence either, but even if they did throw away wickets so as not to set a big total (with the intent to play a home semi), I don't see that as anything other than exploiting the same kind of loophole that Australia did in '99, and what Judge himself suggests Greg Chappell did in ordering the underarm...
lopati
Guest
dunno why, the editing failed: "So if you want to bring up the ugly past, we can also! Throwing a match is a lot worse than playing the rules to the limit." The underarm even though legal is clearly recorded bad sportsmanship, the "threw the game" is just a biased supposition. "What was also unforgivable was playing the opener against NZ in Auckland. We should have played them in Melbourne and we would have won." That is just 100% biased sour grapes. What makes this unforgivable? You are clearly saying the Aussies needed an advantage to win? What a stupid pathetic comment. What else would you like? Have the kiwi's play blindfolded with one hand tied behind their back?
Jerry
Guest
I think it's hell of a lot different in that I've never seen any halfway convincing argument that NZ did anything to throw that match. Judge's demented ramblings don't count as convincing. Pakistan were on a roll too, and in case anyone has forgotten, beat NZ the following week and then won the final.
lopati
Guest
> So if you want to bring up the ugly past, we can also! Throwing a match is a lot worse than playing the rules to the limit. We are too polite to New Zealand sometimes I feel. Too diplomatic. What was also unforgivable was playing the opener against NZ in Auckland. We should have played them in Melbourne and we would have won. < That is just 100% biased sour grapes. What makes this unforgivable? You are clearly saying the Aussies needed an advantage to win? What a stupid pathetic comment. What else would you like? Have the kiwi's play blindfolded with one hand tied behind their back?
Brett McKay
Guest
why should the 30th anniversary of the underarm delivery be about something other than the underarm??
Judge Smails
Guest
What is with the picture of Ian Chappell from the early 1970s, late 1960s for on this article's title page? Ian Chappell had retired at the end of 79/80, two seasons before the underarm business. His brother Greg was captain at the as discussed match, who instructed his younger brother Trevor to bowl the delivery. "The underarm bowling incident of 1981 took place on 1 February 1981, when Australia was playing New Zealand in a One Day International cricket match, the third of five such matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground." - wikipedia. If I was Greg Chappell he should never apologize to NZ and laugh about we diddled the old Kiwis again. Like I said, the overall result was going to always be an Aussie win in the 1981 World Series Cup. New Zealanders just want something to whinge about. This discussion should be about the 1992 World Cup. It has been swept under the carpet. But that was a serious tournament, the WSC was nowhere near as prestigious. Who remembers what the result of the countless games we have had over the years? Test matches are what counts New Zealand. Learn to play that and you will get remembered for something!
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
Think Hansie has to sneak in there somewhere
Brett McKay
Guest
Kersi, just for sheer impact on the game of cricket, I don't think you can go past the match-fixing scandals as the most contrversial. These are cases where people in positions of power have actively conspired to defraud the game itself. Plenty of other incidents and moments have impacted the game at the time, but they all run a distant second (or third, or fourth, or how ever many match-fixing issues we've had) to this, for mine...