Blast From the Past: Most Disgraceful Moment in Cricketing History
January 9, 2008 by Dinsa Sachan
Filed under Tennis
Eat Cricket, Drink Cricket, Sleep Cricket
This happened at a time when we weren’t around, so it is both interesting and a lesson in history for us.
We are talking about the infamous Trevor Chappel underarm incident during the third final of the Benson-Hedges Trophy (aka. World Series Cup) between Australia and New Zealand in 1981/82.
New Zealand required six runs off the last ball to draw the match out. Brian Mckechnie was on strike. Obviously, he wanted to hit a six, but Trevor Chappell rolled the ball along the ground, that is bowled an underarm. Underarm bowling was banned after this. It went down as the most disgraceful moment in the history of cricket.
Personally, what is interesting to me is that Greg Chappell was the Australian captain, and he was the one to instruct his brother to try that tactic. Guru Greg, indeed.
Have a look:
There was a lot said then and for quite a while too…but having to percolate through the print media, one had time to chew over the articles before the next one came up after a good night’s sleep over it.
Today it is a faster world.
“…we weren’t around…” speak for yourself!
I was at the game!
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since that low point, suffice to say a formal apology from Greg Chappell, and a comical re-enactment at a NZ ground only a couple of years ago, with a much aged, Trevor Chappell and Brian MacKenzie.
As an Aussie, married to a Kiwi, I can tell you, they still haven’t forgotten though! At family gatherings in NZ, as was the case this Christmas, they still jump at any chance they can, to make a corny “under arm” joke.
…that would be, “brain Mckechnie”
The best thing to come from that was Richie’s rant afterwards, there is a cricket show on the radio in melbourne that play that almost every show.
Who else would’ve tried such a tactic, but an Australian. Must have been within the ‘Spirit of the Game’ back then.