4 controversial moments that shook cricket to its core

#3 The underarm ball

‘I think it was a disgraceful performance from a captain who got his sums wrong and I think it should never be permitted to happen again in cricket. It was an incredibly poor performance and one of the worst things I have ever seen happen on a cricket field’.

Those were the words that cricketing legend Richie Benaud used to describe the events that unfolded on the 1st of February 1981 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. To put things into context I will explain the situation and the events that unfolded.

It was the last ball of the third match of a 5 match World Series Cricket series between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand needed 6 runs off the final ball to tie the match and keep the series alive. Brian Mckechnie was facing, and Trevor Chappell was bowling. His brother (and captain) Greg walked over from mid-off and instructed him to bowl an underarm delivery. This would prevent Mckechnie from being able to get under the ball and would guarantee a win for Australia. Trevor agreed, and an underarm ball was bowled. Australia won the game. What is remarkable is that this was legal at the time.

Outrage followed. As the team ran up to their dressing room they were verbally abused by their own crowd, not to mention the rest of the New Zealand team. New Zealand Prime Minister Rob Muldoon described the underarm as ‘as an act of complete cowardice’. Even 37 years later the underarm ball is still talked about whenever New Zealand play Australia.

Following this incident, the rulebook was rewritten, banning the bowling of an underarm delivery in all forms, and all levels of cricket. This one moment really did have a permanent impact on modern-day cricket, and will never be forgotten.