The retro beige cricket kit worn by former cricket and rugby international Brian McKechnie during the infamous 1981 underarm incident has found a new home – and raised $22,000 for charity.
The uniform, one of the most recognisable in Kiwi sporting history, went under the hammer at the annual BrainTree Charity Golfing with the Stars tournament at Clearwater.
After a bout of spirited bidding, the famous outfit was snapped up by Brendan Prendergast, an original BrainTree board member and tournament founder, with Jason Millar from Charter Transport, fellow board member Dave Gibbons, and Murray and Andrew Smith from Mitre 10.
Donated by Arrowtown’s David Skeggs, the kit’s sale will help fund BrainTree, the Papanui wellness centre supporting people living with neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and dementia.
Prendergast said the group was keen to see the kit end up somewhere like the New Zealand Cricket Museum or at Te Papa.
“We would also consider on-selling it to the right buyer with profits going to BrainTree. We bought the kit, which holds a special place in New Zealand history, to ensure it gets looked after and ends up in the right place,” he said.
The underarm incident remains one of sport’s most infamous moments.
With New Zealand needing six off the final ball to tie the third match of the 1981 World Series Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australian captain Greg Chappell told his brother Trevor to bowl underarm – leaving McKechnie helpless to do little more than pat the ball away, handing the win to Australia.
The move sparked outrage around the world, even drawing condemnation from then-Prime Minister Rob Muldoon.
McKechnie, one of 36 stars from seven sporting codes who teed off in the tournament, said he originally gave the kit away for a charity function about 30 years ago when Sir Clifford Skeggs, David Skeggs’ father, bought it.
“I hoped the incident would be over the next day, but for about 25 years I used to get calls on February 1 saying ‘do you know what day it is?’,” he said.
“The beige uniform itself was awful to wear. That day at the MCG it was around 35degC at ground level and the outfit stuck to you in the heat.”
Despite the memories, McKechnie was delighted the uniform has raised funds for a good cause.
“I’m thrilled it has come to BrainTree, which does a terrific job for people with neurological conditions.”
Former All Black and Crusader Ben Blair and his GVI Logistics team took the golf tournament honours, edging out a side led by former NZ Warrior and Kiwis rugby league star Joe Vagana, also from GVI.
“Around 240 people are involved at so many levels, with 180 players, including stars, along with our sponsors and volunteers. The feedback is positive – everyone is looking forward to next year’s event.”
The tournament, now in its fifth year, provisionally raised $285,000 – a figure which Morrow said makes Golfing with the Stars the highest-earning charity golf tournament in the country.
Among the star-studded field were cricketers Mark Greatbatch, Mark Richardson, Paul McEwan, Rod Latham, Chris Harris and Stephen Fleming; Olympians Hamish Kerr, Eric Murray and Moss Burmester; rugby players Willi Heinz, Christian Cullen, Taine Randell, Colin Slade, Israel Dagg, Graeme Bachop and Casey Laulala; league legend Mark Graham and former Kangaroo Julian O’Neill; and footballers Alan Stroud and Wynton Rufer.
Proceeds from the early tournaments helped fund BrainTree’s $8.1 million wellness centre, which opened in 2022. Now, the money supports its operations and services – vital, as BrainTree receives no central government funding and relies on community events like the golf tournament to keep running.
