Top 5 bowling performances by Sir Richard Hadlee in Test cricket

#2 11-58 vs India at Wellington, 1976

Hadlee’s 7-23 in the second innings helped New Zealand draw the test series against India at home

India were touring New Zealand in 1976 and had a good outing prior to the third test, having won the first test at Auckland and managing to draw the second test at Christchurch. The third test was held at the Basin Reserve at Wellington and New Zealand were aiming for a win to avoid a series defeat at home. Indian skipper Bishen Singh Bedi won the toss and elected to bat first and had begun well before Hadlee took three wickets in quick succession and India were soon struggling at 101/6. However, a 116-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Brijesh Patel and Syed Kirmani helped India to a total of 220. Hadlee eventually ended with 4-35.Half-centuries from Bevan Congdon, captain Glenn Turner and Mark Burgess helped New Zealand to 334 and were leading by 114 runs prior to India’s second innings. If India had seen a little wind from Hadlee in the first innings, they witnessed a complete tornado in the second innings as Hadlee was dominating the Indian batsmen and India were skittled for 81, giving New Zealand a win by an innings and 33 runs. Hadlee returned with figures of 7-23 in the second innings and this was his career-best bowling figures in an innings for quite some time.