The great New Zealander never failed to give grit a good name in his glittering career so I'm backing him to win the biggest battle of his life
New Zealand's Richard Hadlee appeals against India's Arun Lal at Bangalore in 1988
News about Sir Richard Hadlee, 66, fighting a cancer battle stunned the cricketing globe just like he amazed cricket lovers in 1991 when it was revealed that his irregular heartbeat required an open heart surgery.
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What is it about cricketers and cancer I wondered, when I read a tweet about Hadlee's condition. Among the fast bowlers, I thought about his Nottinghamshire South African teammate Clive Rice, who succumbed to the illness in 2015, England's Fred Trueman, West Indian warrior Malcolm Marshall and the burly Australian Max Walker.
We can expect nothing less than true grit from the great New Zealander and if that quality can be ticked in bold letters as a positive, there is also a good chance of Hadlee beating it, considering a recent report which said that scientists in New Zealand have identified a bug, which could be the cause of the disease.
When Marshall was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1999, he is believed to have told his surgeon that he had just been delivered the biggest bouncer of his life. In the same breath he insisted in knowing immediately what he must to do to conquer it. Marshall underwent surgery in Birmingham where, according to his biographer Pat Symes, "14 cancerous inches of his intestinal colon were removed." When told his survival chances were 60-40, he said, "Better than the other way round."
Unfortunately, Marshall's cancer was detected too late for a cure and he succumbed within six months. Trueman was diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2006. He vowed to fight it, but in two months' time he was gone. In his award-winning book on the Yorkshire great fast bowler, Chris Waters wrote about the time when Trueman took a call from his sister Flo when he was in the garden after a round of chemotherapy. While he told Flo that he would fight the cancer, he also reflected on how fortunate he was to see the world. He also thought about the numerous children who would never have the opportunities he had enjoyed.
Trueman's heart always went out to children. Once, he had a sack full of sweets lying at home and someone suggested he donate them to a home for kids with cerebral palsy. Trueman arrived at the home and while distributing the goodies, he was moved to ask one child, "How are you, son?" The kid replied that he was doing well and would win the London to Brighton road race the following year. Trueman was in tears and he left the home swearing that if he did anything for charity, it would be for children.
Meanwhile, Hadlee's competitive spirit will now have a new meaning in the biggest battle of his life. Determination is a quality that comes naturally to him. A lesser determined man wouldn't have accepted a request from his captain (John Wright) to get up from his sick hotel room bed and arrive at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore to pad up and bat to save NZ from following on in the 1988 Test. Hadlee was one of the 12 New Zealanders who were struck by a virus. He helped his country avoid the follow on and he called it one of the most courageous days in NZ cricket.
History proves that when Hadlee is hurt, one can be assured of a strong rebuttal. A colleague of mine who was at the 2015 World Cup remembered hitting Hadlee for two sixes in some fun cricket at Hobbiton, the location where Lord of the Rings was shot. Just as he was getting over the euphoria of hitting NZ's iconic bowler for consecutive sixes, the next ball was a nasty one which our 'batsman' fended with his elbow. After the match, Hadlee met the man who hit him for two sixes and enquired about his arm. He obviously hadn't forgotten his revenge ball.
By nature, Hadlee has always been well-organised, thorough and positive. In his cricket coffin (kit bag) there was a hand-written card, which read (courtesy his autobiography Rhythm and Swing): Desire is positive. Your mind is your brain - it's better than a computer. Attitude is a state of mind. Get your mind right. Simulate - put yourself in a position when you last achieved. Visualise - dream about the event. Confidence breeds success. Know your own ability, worth or value - self esteem. You must want to do it. Convert your mental thinking into physical action by doing it. Enjoy what you're doing. Record and replay the good things which have happened - erase the bad. Remember - you never get tired, just pleasantly weary. Beat your opponent - do the job better. Set your own goals but still be happy with your performance, even if someone else does it better.
Adopting several of these philosophies in life made Hadlee the highest wicket-taker (431) in Test cricket when he bid farewell to the game in 1990 and there is no doubt that they'll come into play now probably more than ever before.
mid-day's group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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