(L-R) Greg Chappell, Sir Richard Hadlee and Ian Chappell pose with the Chappell-Hadlee trophy before the start of the first Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one day international match between Australia and the New Zealand Black Caps at the Adelaide Oval on December 14, 2007 in Adelaide, Australia.
The Chappell brothers, Ian and Greg, were two of Australian cricket’s best batsmen between the 1960s and ’80s. Ian was the older by five years and loved the hook and pull shots. He captained his country between 1971-1975 and, despite inheriting a side which wasn’t achieving great results, the Aussies never lost a series under his watch. Ian presided over 15 victories from 30 test matches.
Yet Greg was arguably the more talented player. He made a century (a score of 100 runs or more) in his first and last Test matches, and scored another 22 centuries in between (Ian made 14 to Greg’s 24). He also captained his country, winning 21 of his 48 tests in charge. They played on the same team at times, and partnered each other at the crease with distinction. At The Oval in England, in August 1972, they became the first brothers to score centuries in the same innings; in Wellington, New Zealand in March 1974, they became the first brothers to each score a century in both innings of the game. And their younger brother, Trevor, also played for his country on three occasions while their grandfather, Vic, was a real all-rounder. He not only captained the Australian cricket team and the South Australian Australian rules football team, but excelled at baseball, golf, tennis, lacrosse, basketball and swimming.