Skip to main content

Underarm incident - New Zealand cricket

The underarm incident, 1981 

For many people, all trans-Tasman cricket contests are overshadowed by the unprecedented events of 1 February 1981. With New Zealand needing a six from the final ball to tie the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (an unlikely prospect on one of the world's largest grounds), the Australian captain, Greg Chappell, ordered his brother Trevor to bowl underarm to New Zealand's number 10 batsman, Brian McKechnie. Such an action was (at the time) within the rules, if not the spirit, of the game.

Credit

This video clip is sourced from the YouTube website. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage does not claim any responsibility for the contents or copyright status of the clip.

How to cite this page

Underarm incident - New Zealand cricket, URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/video/underarm-incident-new-zealand-cricket, (Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated