Richard Hadlee: Brett Lee could have killed Piers Morgan
Richard Hadlee
New Zealand great Richard Hadlee claims that TV host and self-proclaimed Arsenal fan Piers Morgan could have been killed by Brett Lee in an exhibition over and wants the former Australian international punished. In the ongoing England-Australia Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, during Saturday’s tea break, Lee left Morgan bruised and battered as he steamed through the over with pacy short pitched deliveries.
“As a former fast bowler I was appalled and outraged at what I witnessed,” Hadlee said in a column written for Fairfax News.
The exhibiton was organized after the television interviewer had questioned the courage of some English batsmen, Lee challenged Morgan to face an over.
“Lee’s brutal assault on Morgan was extremely dangerous and unnecessary. It was clear that Morgan could not bat or defend himself against Lee’s pace and intimidation,” Hadlee said.
“This was a brain explosion of the highest order. It was a deliberate attempt to hit, injure, hurt and maim his opponent that I viewed as a form of grievous bodily harm or a human assault that could have proved fatal.”
Morgan, 48, was hit four times on the body by the 37-year-old Lee who only retired from international cricket 17 months ago.
“If he was hit on the head or across the heart the result could have been devastating. Lee bowled only one ball at the wickets, and the other five were directed at the batman’s middle to upper body and head.”
Piers only had about 0.4 of a second to react to the deliveries which were hurled at him at about 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph) by Lee.
Hadlee added, Cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council, has an edict of fair play and upholding the spirit of the game, and that exhibition compromised those values.
“I only hope that officialdom will review the incident and if necessary take some action against Lee’s behaviour — perhaps a censure, fine or even a suspension for his act of stupidity and misjudgment.”
Hadlee, who took 431 wickets in his 86-Test career, said if he wanted to embarrass Morgan he would have taken more pleasure out of trying to hit the stumps six times than deliberately trying to hit the batsman.
“I believe Lee has erred badly and, on reflection, may realise that he has damaged the image of the game of cricket.
“There will be many mums and dads around the world who saw that exhibition and may decide to stop their kids from playing the game, such was the brutality and the risk to someone’s life.”