Sir Richard Hadlee vs James Anderson Stats Comparison

Sir Richard Hadlee Bowling Stats

James Anderson Bowling Stats

Comparing Sir Richard Hadlee and James Anderson in Test Cricket

The main format where these 2 all time greats excelled the most is Test Cricket. This is the format that has given them the status of the best fast bowlers. Sir Richard Hadlee was a generation before James Anderson. He was in the era where there were the likes of Imran Khan of Pakistan, Ian Botham of England and Kapil Dev of India. He had the record for taking the most Wickets in Test Cricket as a fast bowler at 431 Wickets. He has taken 36 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. This is the most by a fast bowler in history. He has a career best bowling performance of 9/52. Richard Hadlee has taken 130 of his 431 Wickets in Test Cricket against Australia.

James Anderson is perhaps the greatest test match fast bowler of all time. He has played 188 Test Matches which is the second most in history and the most for a player from England. He recently retired from Test Cricket after the first test match against West Indies. He has taken 704 Wickets in Test Cricket. This is the most by a fast bowler and the 3rd most in the history of Test Cricket. He has taken 32 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. James Anderson has taken 149 Test Wickets against India which is a record for any bowler against India. He has also taken 84 Wickets against New Zealand and 82 Wickets against Pakistan. He has taken 117 wickets against Australia. Against South Africa, James Anderson has taken 103 Wickets. He has also taken 91 wickets against West Indies. This shows that James Anderson has taken 80 or more Test Wickets against 6 full Test playing nations.

Therefore it can be concluded that James Anderson was a more successful test cricket fast bowler. He has taken 273 more Test Wickets than Richard Hadlee. Richard Hadlee has taken more 5 Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket at 36 compared to 32 taken by James Anderson.

Sir Richard Hadlee vs James Anderson Performance in ODIs

The second format which both these great players played was ODI Cricket. This was the format that was being introduced when Richard Hadlee was playing cricket. He played 115 ODI Matches for New Zealand. He took 158 wickets in these Matches for New Zealand. Sir Richard Hadlee took 5 Five Wicket Hauls in his career in ODI Cricket. He is number 8 in the app time list for most wickets in ODI Cricket for New Zealand.

James Anderson has played 194 ODI Matches for England and he has taken 269 Wickets for England. He has taken 2 Five Wicket Hauls in his ODI Career. James Anderson has also taken the most number of ODI wickets for England even though there have been bowlers like Ben Stokes, Darren Gough , Stuart Broad and currently Jofra Archer. James Anderson has taken 111 more Wickets than Richard Hadlee in ODI Cricket. Therefore James Anderson was a more successful fast bowler in this format.

Must Read | James Anderson Best bowling performances and Best Bowling Performances by Sir Richard Hadlee

Fast Bowling Legacy

Richard Hadlee has an incredible legacy as a fast bowling great. He was the one who inspired all New Zealand cricketers that they can compete against the best teams in the world. He was someone who was an all rounder and in his last Test innings he took 5 wickets and more importantly he took a wicket in the final ball of his Test Career. Richard Hadlee was voted 10th in the Wisden’s List of cricketers of the 20th century. He is one of the few fast bowlers to have taken 9 wickets in an innings in Test Cricket.

James Anderson played Test Cricket for 22 years from 2002-2024. He has been a part of the English team and has had 109 Teammates during his playing career. He has revolutionized that a fast bowler can play for long provided he manages their workload. He has played 188 Test Matches which is almost astonishing for a fast bowler. He was just 4 Wickets behind Shane Warne as he finished with 704 Test Wickets. He has seen the New crop of English fast bowlers like Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and has helped them in becoming a better fast bowler. His legacy will be at the very top as far as fast bowling is concerned.

Achievements and Awards

Richard Hadlee

• Richard Hadlee became the first player to score 1000 runs and take 100 Wickets in the history of ODI Cricket.

• He was the fastest seam bowler to take 25 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He did it in 62 innings.

• He was awarded the MBE in 1980 for his services to New Zealand cricket.

• In 1990 he was awarded a knighthood in 1990 for his services to cricket.

• He was awarded the Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1992.

• He was inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.

James Anderson

• On 25th July 2016, James Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 50 Wickets against the leading 7 nations which are Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies

• On 5th January 2020 he took his 28th Five Wicket Haul which made him the bowler to take the most for England.

• He is the only fast bowler to take 300 Test wickets on home soil. He is also the first fast bowler to take 100 Test Wickets at a single venue that being Lord’s  

• On 18th December 2021, James Anderson became the first batter in the history of Test Cricket to remain not out on 100 occasions.

• He was awarded the OBE in 2016 for his services to cricket.