Dayle Hadlee

Son of the famous Walter Hadlee and the elder brother to the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee, Dayle Hadlee was in comparison a pale shadow in terms of career output. Dayle was a pacer, not genuinely quick but brisk enough to trouble the batters and could swing the ball as well. Fitness was an issue though and recurring back injuries took a toll on his pace which had to be cut down. He was never the same bowler after that and although Dayle was able to get more control, the cutting edge was missing in his bowling. Lack of speed was the major issue, for not all tracks were helpful to swing bowlers those days and pace was an important factor. Injuries meant that Dayle was forced to an early retirement from international cricket at the age of 30. He played first-class cricket for another five to six years, ending with over 350 wickets at a healthy average and strike rate. In ODIs, Dayle had very good numbers though it was a brief career, again due to fitness concerns. After his playing days, Dayle got involved with coaching in New Zealand's U19 system and later on became a bowling coach as well. Ultimately, a role at ICC's Global Cricket Academy saw him move to Dubai.

Written by Hariprasad Sandanandan