KEY POINTS:
Dayle Hadlee will obviously be interested in developments at the Basin Reserve today but New Zealand Cricket's national bowling coach admits he will be more occupied with days gone by when the second test against England gets underway.
For Hadlee, the hard work with the bowling unit has already been done - and the next five days is an opportunity to reflect on the past, 30 years ago in fact when a New Zealand test cricket side upset England for the first time.
The 60-year-old was there that blustery February day when England, set a gettable 137 for victory in more than a day, were rolled for 64 early on the final morning.
Inevitably Hadlee walked from the oval far from centre stage, sibling Sir Richard had the match analysis of 10 for 100 even though his achievement was overshadowed thanks to the yorker delivered into the northerly by Richard Collinge.
"The ball getting (Geoff) Boycott out, the yorker, that really set the whole thing up," Hadlee said.
Boycott's demise for two triggered a collapse that saw the tourists lurch to 18 for four and then 58 for eight at stumps on day four.
Under leaden skies the following morning Richard Hadlee removed Phil Edmonds and Bob Willis to secure the coveted victory.
"It was a great day," Hadlee the coach, recalled yesterday, "and a sad day because it was my last test match.
"My back conked out, I only bowled one over in the second innings."
As his teammates floated off the playing arena, a pensive Hadlee feared the worst and although his back had strengthened sufficiently to warrant the return tour to England later in 1978, he broke down again in his only first class game.
Hadlee retired on returning home, ending his career with 71 wickets from 26 tests at 33.64.
Of course the genes dictated he could never sever ties with the sport that defines his family, and after several seasons as mentor at age group and elite level, he was confirmed as the national bowling coach in December 2006.
Hadlee prefers to downplay his influence, despite having plenty to crow about after the Black Caps bowlers totally dominated their English counterparts in Hamilton last week.
"I have a small input into it," he said as New Zealand finalised their preparations.
"The bottom line is the bowlers have to do it on the day."
That they did last Sunday when England were routed for 110, had plenty to with Hadlee's maxim, a mantra he developed before the Bangladesh series in January.
He spelt it out: p-o-i-s-o-n.
"The `p' is the most important part. P is patience - we measure patience in dot percentages, you're putting as many dot ball strings together as possible," he said.
Maidens are also an imperative.
"When we bowl 30 per cent maidens in tests we almost always win them," Hadlee said.
Seddon Park, where New Zealand won the first test by 189-runs, validated that claim. The bowlers delivered 61 as England's marathon first innings spanned nearly 174 overs.
The `o' translates `on line', a demand the opposition's openers must actually play the new ball for 50 per cent of the first 15 overs.
Imposing your skills is the `i', `s' is for seam - making the most it - while the second `o' is "over completion" - five non-scoring balls must be followed by another dot.
The `n' is for `no extras', the one area New Zealand were slightly deficient after an unacceptable 13 no balls were recorded in Hamilton.
Still, Hadlee could not be too critical after the bowling attack dropped English duo Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard to shame.
"Chris (Martin) has been bowling well for a number of years now and he hasn't got the respect he deserves," Hadlee said.
"And Kyle (Mills) is now starting to feel comfortable in test cricket after being an outstanding bowler in one-day cricket.
"In Dunedin against Bangladesh he was more outcome orientated, he expected he had to get wickets and as a result he started searching for them. Now he's brought himself back and he doing what he does best, bowling dot balls consistently."
However, it is the Collinge ball sure to be the focus when the class of '78 reassemble.
"It'll be great to catch up with people I haven't seen for a while," Hadlee said.
"I've been released from the team once the game starts. I'll try and work with the warm-ups in the morning and then quietly slip put to the reunion. I haven't seen Richard (Collinge) for a number of years."
- NZPA
