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The Most Infamous Moment In NZ Sporting History?

December 07, 2025 / 00:54

This episode covers the infamous underarm bowling incident in cricket, featuring Greg Chappell and his brother Trevor Chappell. The discussion highlights the context of the match, the reactions from players, and the lasting impact of the event.

Greg Chappell instructed Trevor to bowl underarm during a crucial match, a decision that shocked players and spectators alike. The episode recounts the moment when Trevor hesitated, and Rod Marsh's disapproval as the wicket keeper added to the tension.

The conversation reflects on the rules of cricket that allowed this tactic, which had never been used before in such a significant game. The hosts emphasize how this incident has shaped the rivalry between Australia and other cricketing nations.

Listeners gain insight into the moral implications of the decision and how it has been viewed over the years, illustrating the complexity of sportsmanship in cricket.

TL;DR

Greg Chappell's underarm bowling decision shocked cricket fans and shaped Australia’s sportsmanship legacy.

Video

00:00:00
And there was this commotion happening
00:00:01
in the middle and we were sort of
00:00:02
looking from the sideways thinking,
00:00:03
"What are they talking about?" And then
00:00:04
the penny [music] dropped. Greg had told
00:00:06
his brother Trevor to bowl under us.
00:00:08
This is the largest playing arena in the
00:00:11
world of cricket. The boundaries are
00:00:13
bigger than anywhere else. Brian is
00:00:14
coming in to face his first ball. Brian
00:00:16
is a good guy, but there was no chance
00:00:18
in Hill that he was going to hit a six.
00:00:20
It becomes obvious that Greg has told
00:00:22
Trevor to bowl underarm, and Trevor's
00:00:24
looking at his brother saying, "I don't
00:00:26
want to do this." And Greg is saying,
00:00:28
"I'm sorry, you have to do it." And Rod
00:00:29
Marsh is the wicket keeper sort of
00:00:31
wagging his head saying, "No, no, don't
00:00:33
do it." And [music] anyway, it happened.
00:00:36
It was in the rules that you could do
00:00:38
this, but no one ever, it's one of those
00:00:39
rules you never know about. You never
00:00:41
would think of doing it. And then it
00:00:43
happened. We realized we're on to a
00:00:45
winner pretty early. that this gave us
00:00:48
the moral high ground that 44 years
00:00:51
later we've still got with Australia.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 85
    Most iconic moment
  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
    Best concept / idea
  • 80
    Most talked-about

Episode Highlights

  • The Underarm Bowling Controversy
    In a shocking turn, Trevor is pressured to bowl underarm, a rare and controversial tactic.
    “I don't want to do this.”
    @ 00m 22s
    December 07, 2025
  • A Surprising Rule
    The realization that an unusual rule could be used to gain an advantage.
    “It was in the rules that you could do this, but no one ever did.”
    @ 00m 36s
    December 07, 2025
  • Moral High Ground
    The play gave them a moral high ground that lasted for decades.
    “We realized we're on to a winner pretty early.”
    @ 00m 45s
    December 07, 2025

Episode Quotes

Key Moments

  • First Ball00:14
  • Pressure to Bowl00:22
  • Unusual Rule00:36
  • Winning Moment00:45

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