Former Australian captain Greg Chappell has provided insights into the infamous ‘underarm bowling’ ODI incident against New Zealand in 1981. Chappell disclosed that the decision to employ the underarm delivery was not solely driven by on-field considerations but was also fueled by frustration with the unsatisfactory conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The ‘underarm’ incident occurred during the final delivery of the third final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup where Chappell instructed his younger brother Trevor Chappell to deliver an underarm ball to prevent New Zealand from scoring the six needed to tie the match.
While technically legal at the time, the underarm delivery was widely considered unsportsmanlike and led to significant criticism. The incident played a role in the subsequent outlawing of underarm bowling in cricket.
Chappell’s Frustration With MCG Conditions
Greg Chappell, acknowledged that it’s not one of the prouder moments in his career. He clarified that the decision had very little to do with the on-field dynamics of that day. Chappell explained while speaking on SEN 1170 Breakfast, that his frustrationwas primarily directed at the unsatisfactory playing conditions at the MCG and ongoing discussions about improving facilities. He highlighted the challenges faced by Cricket Australia in pushing for better standards.
“It’s not one of the better moments I get to reflect on… the difficult part probably for people to understand is it had very little to do with what was going on the field on that day. That was part of it, obviously. But there was a lot of stuff going on around the team and cricket at the time, not least of all around the MCG and the standard of the pitches that we were copping at the MCG at the time.” Chappell told SEN 1170 Breakfast.