McLean Park has been the backdrop to reminisce about one of cricket's greatest travesties with Black Caps Trent Boult and Tom Latham joining Australians Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa for a re-enactment of The Underarm incident, which 'celebrates' its 36th anniversary today.
On February 1, 1981, Australian Greg Chappell instructedhis brother Trevor to roll the last ball of a World Series Cricket final to New Zealand batsman Brian McKechnie at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Kiwis were eight wickets down, needing six to tie.
McKechnie blocked the ball and threw his bat away in disgust with non-striker Bruce Edgar (102 not out) delivering the fingers at the opposition through sausage batting gloves.
New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon described the Chappell brothers' actions as "an act of true cowardice and I consider it appropriate that the Australian team were wearing yellow.
Channel Nine television commentary doyen Richie Benaud described the act as "disgraceful" and said it was "one of the worst things I have ever seen done on a cricket field".
