Chappell’s “Underarm ‘81” mind game.

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One of the most controversial incidents that took place in 1981 was on 1^st February 1981. This controversial event took place when the Aussies were playing against the Kiwis. It was the 3^rdof the 5 such ODI matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Cup Series. This match was being played in one of the biggest and most beautiful stadium of all time-Melbourne Cricket Ground. The score of the series was 1-1, with New Zealand having won the first match, and Australia the second.

At the end of the third match, the Kiwis required 15 runs of the last over with 3 wickets in hand. The New Zealand batsman Bruce Edgar was 102 not out. His inning included some sensation shot selection and execution. But the main disadvantage was that he was at the non-strikers end. The New Zealand number 10 batsman Brian McKechnie was on strike. The Australian captain Greg Chappell had handed the ball to his younger brother, Trevor Chappell. Trevor had already bowled well in the last over by taking 2 wickets and conceding only 8 runs of the 5 balls. Now, the Kiwis required 7 runs of the last ball. Win wasn’t going to be the result for Kiwis until and unless Trevor didn’t bowl a fair delivery.

Being an aggressive captain, Greg wanted to achieve just one thing from that match and that was “win”, no matter whatever it took to do so. So that, he was a captain as well elder brother of Trevor Chappell, he ordered his brother to bowl an underarm ball, rolling along the ground. He wanted to take the option of “tie” out of the equation. Forcefully being made to follow the underarm order of Greg, Trevor bowled an underarm ball, rolling along the ground, to make sure that Brian McKechnie couldn’t smash it for a six to draw the game. Bowling underarm was within the laws of cricket at that time. As the ball was being bowled, Ian Chappell (Elder brother of both, Greg and Trevor Chappell) who was commenting, was heard saying, “No, Greg, no, you can’t do that.” But nothing could have stopped or changed the type of delivery which was already bowled. Australia did win the match as it is impossible for anyone to hit a grounded underarm ball 80-85 metres long for a six. The New Zealand batsmen were angry, very angry. McKechnie threw his bat to the ground in frustration, being censured for spoiling the reputation of the game of cricket by doing so.

Aussies had won the match but not the hearts. They were booed off the ground but nothing of that mattered to Greg. He had got what he wanted- A win. Many legends and other cricketers commented on this incident. One of them was the Voice of Cricket, the former Australian captain- Late Richie Benaud, describing that incident as “disgraceful” and saying “It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen been done on the cricket field.”

Over many years there have been talks and controversies regarding this incident but it has to be said that there weren’t any rules in cricket, then, indicating that underarm delivery wasn’t allowed. Now, all the rules have changed and modified. Now, it isn’t considered as a legal delivery. Greg Chappell will forever be remembered for this incident as people thought it was against the spirit of the game.

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