New Zealand Legend Sir Richard Hadlee Diagnosed with Bowel Cancer

Legendary New Zealand fast-bowler, Sir Richard Hadlee has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Hadlee’s wife, Lady Dianne confirmed his health situation on Wednesday, saying the former New Zealand bowler’s operation went ‘extremely well’.

“Last month, Richard had a routine, three-year colonoscopy, and we discovered that he has bowel cancer,” she said in a statement.

“He has since had an operation to remove the tumour. This operation went extremely well, and he has made an excellent recovery from surgery.

“It is expected that, in time, he will have a full recovery. Our reasons for making this statement are a desire to be transparent, and to prevent the inevitable speculation and incorrect rumours.

“I would also request people’s understanding and acceptance of our request for privacy while we go through the next few months, both for ourselves and for the extended Hadlee family,” she added.

Hadlee was a former world record holder for most wickets in the Tests. He played 86 Tests and 110 ODIs for New Zealand between 1973 and 1990.

Hadlee was the first player to reach the 400-wicket mark in Tests. He finished his career with 431 wickets and 3124 runs. Along with Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Kapil Dev, he was one of the four great all-rounders of the 1980s.

Hadlee was pivotal in the rise of New Zealand cricket. Hadlee’s match figures of seven for 130 and ten for 100 in their first-ever wins over Australia and England respectively, still fondly remember. Overall, he took 173 wickets at 13.06 in New Zealand Test wins.

After retirement, he went on to become a pundit, and later the chairman of New Zealand’s selectors.