Tag Exclusives

So many times we hear about that UNDERARM DELIVERY bowled in cricket, a game that was called as Gentlemen's. Let me recall all that I can to form a imagination of what exactly happened that day..

Day - 1st of February, 1981.
Location - Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Series situation - Third final of the 5 finals of World series - Benson and Hedges cup.
Match Situation - New Zealand needs 6 runs off the last ball of the match, to tie the match.

Then Australian Captain - Greg Chappell comes to his bowler - Trevor Chappell, who also happened to be his younger brother and asked him to bowl an under-arm delivery..all along the pitch so that there is absolutely no chance for the No. 10 New Zealand batsman - Brain McKechine to get under the ball and hit a six.

Rodney Marsh was the wicket keeper and he looked very disappointed with his captains decision. But that was that, all the 10 players have to go by the decision made by the leader in a cricket match and brother Trevor followed the instruction..

The ball went all along the ground - from the bowling end to the striking end and Brain Mckechine just played it before throwing his bat and moved out of the ground. If you notice in the picture of that famous under-arm ball, we have the wicket keeper quite far from the wicket. To me, it means that even there were clear orders from the Captain Greg Chappell, everyone thought that it might still be a conventional one!!

As Trevor chappell puts it - "I bowled 736 deliveries in international cricket and only one of them was underarm, but It was the only significant one that I bowled."

The important thing about this incident is that the Austalians remember it more than the New Zealander's as Trevor Chappell, who does some coaching to young boys in Australia, is still asked about that ball he bowled, where as Mckechine rarely need to discuss it. Here's more what he has to say.

If you are looking for the Video of that under-arm delivery bowled by chappell, just put me a mail. I'll be glad to send it to you. I want to upload it right now, but somehow I am not able to.