Early life and playing career
Edgar was born and raised in Wellington,New Zealand. His father,Arthur,had represented Wellington in a few first-class matches. He was educated at Rongotai College,where he attracted attention for his brilliant batting,but would later curb his attacking instincts for the sake of the team when opening for both Wellington and later New Zealand. [3]
In internationals,he formed a successful opening partnership with fellow left-hander John Wright. [4] [5]
Edgar was at the non-striker's end during the infamous underarm bowling incident which occurred on 1 February 1981 during the third World Series Cup final between New Zealand and Australia at the MCG. His striking partner,Brian McKechnie,needed a six to tie the match from the final ball. Australian bowler Trevor Chappell,on orders from the team captain and older brother Greg Chappell,bowled the ball underarm,rolling it on the ground to prevent McKechnie from getting the six and winning the match for Australia,with McKechnie hurling his bat away in disgust and Edgar aiming a V-sign towards Trevor Chappell. [6] [7] [8]
The unfortunate part of the incident was that,at the time,Edgar was 102 not-out for the innings,his only one-day international century and highest score. It is often considered "the most overlooked century of all time." [9]
The following season,some consolation for Edgar is the fact that his highest test score,161,was against Greg Chappell's Australians at Eden Park,Auckland. New Zealand won this Test match,only their second against Australia,by five wickets and took a 1–0 lead in the three-test series,with Edgar named Man of the Match. The series was drawn 1–1,after Australia won the final test by eight wickets at Lancaster Park,Christchurch. Edgar topped the Kiwi batting averages with 278 runs at 55.60. [10]
Life after playing career
In 1981,Bruce Edgar was professional for the Hyde team which won the Central Lancashire League championship. He was later involved with the Gordon Grade Cricket Club in Sydney. He coached the A.W. Greenshield team in the 2010–11 season.
In August 2013,Edgar returned to his homeland to take up the part-time position of General Manager national selection with New Zealand Cricket. His main role would be to coordinate a selection panel that would report to head coach Mike Hesson. [11] Edgar resigned from his position in May 2015. While reduced work and pay,as well as lack of support from the board were key reasons,Edgar also mentioned the less-than-hospitable experiences at the 2015 Cricket World Cup,including having to sit with the wives and girlfriends of the Australian players during the final,a situation he described as "awkward". [12] The following month,Edgar was appointed Head Coach of Wellington on a three-year contract,replacing Jamie Siddons. [13]
Edgar has worked in financial services since his retirement from international cricket. As of 2024 he is a director at Booster Financial Services. He also chairs the Cricketers' Retirement Fund and the New Zealand Rugby Players Savings Scheme. [14]
Gregory Stephen Chappell is a former cricketer who represented Australia at international level in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODI). The second of three brothers to play Test cricket, Chappell was the pre-eminent Australian batsman of his time who allied elegant stroke making to fierce concentration. An exceptional all round player who bowled medium pace and, at his retirement, held the world record for the most catches in Test cricket, Chappell's career straddled two eras as the game moved toward a greater level of professionalism after the WSC schism. He was the vice captain of the Australian squad which finished as runners-up at the 1975 Cricket World Cup.
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket. He played 3 tests and 20 One Day Internationals for Australia. He won the Sheffield Shield with New South Wales twice, and scored a century for Australia against India in the 1983 World Cup. His career was overshadowed, however, by an incident in 1981 in which he bowled an underarm delivery to New Zealand cricketer Brian McKechnie to prevent the batsman from hitting a six.
The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men's international cricket. Nicknamed the Black Caps, they played their first Test in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. From 1930 New Zealand had to wait until 1956, more than 26 years, for its first Test victory, against the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland. They played their first ODI in the 1972–73 season against Pakistan in Christchurch. New Zealand are the inaugural champions of WTC which they won in 2021 and they have also won ICC CT in 2000. They have played in the CWC final twice and the T20 WC final once.
The Chappell–Hadlee Trophy in cricket is a One Day International & Twenty20 International cricket series between Australia and New Zealand. It is named after legendary cricketing families from the two countries: the Chappell brothers of Australia, and Walter Hadlee and his three sons of New Zealand. Australia have recorded eight series wins to New Zealand's four.
Jeetan Shashi Patel is a former New Zealand international cricketer. A right arm off spin bowler, he played for Wellington in New Zealand and Warwickshire in England. He is currently the spin bowling coach for the England cricket team.
Bruce Alexander Grenfell Murray was a Test cricketer for New Zealand who played 13 Tests as a right-handed opening batsman between 1968 and 1971. He was a school principal in the Wellington area from 1981 to 2002, and the author of several geography textbooks. After retiring from teaching, he was a cricket administrator in Wellington and a historian.
Peter Michael Cronin is a former Australian Test cricket match umpire, from South Australia.
The underarm bowling incident of 1981 is a sporting controversy that took place on 1 February 1981, when Australia played New Zealand in a One Day International cricket match, the third in the best-of-five final of the 1980–81 World Series Cup, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Grant David Elliott is a former New Zealand cricketer, who played all formats of the game. Primarily a batting all-rounder, Elliott contributed a man of the match performance to provide entrance to New Zealand's first ever World Cup final, by beating South Africa in 2015. Domestically, he played for Wellington. He was also a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Barbara Lynette Bevege was a New Zealand cricketer who played as a right-handed batter and right-arm medium bowler. She appeared in five Test matches and 16 One Day Internationals for New Zealand between 1973 and 1982. She mainly played domestic cricket for Wellington, as well as appearing once for Auckland.
Brian John McKechnie is a former "double All Black" - representing New Zealand in both rugby union and cricket. He was born at Gore in Southland and educated at Southland Boys' High School.
The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in the 1981–82 season to play three-match One Day International and Test series against New Zealand. The first ODI was won by New Zealand before a record 42,000 fans, but Australia won the series 2–1. The Test series was drawn 1-1, with the first Test washed out.
Thomas Ackland Blundell is a New Zealand cricketer. He made his international debut for the New Zealand national cricket team in January 2017. He also plays first-class cricket for Wellington. In April 2019, he was named in New Zealand's One Day International (ODI) squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, despite being uncapped in an ODI match. Blundell was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. He was one of the recipients of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year award in 2023.
The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in January and February 2017 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
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