New Zealand legend Sir Richard Hadlee to undergo chemotherapy for bowel cancer

New Zealand cricketing legend and leading Test wicket taker Sir Richard Hadlee has had a surgery for bowel cancer and will have chemotherapy treatment, his family stated on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old Hadlee, who is considered as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time with 431 test wickets in his career. 

"Last month, Richard had a routine, 3-year colonoscopy, and we discovered that he has bowel cancer. He has since had an operation to remove the tumour.

The operation was successful and Hadlee has made magical recovery till now, his wife Dianne Hadlee said in a statement. 

As a safeguard, the fast bowling icon would commence chemotherapy treatment and "it is expected that, in time, he will have a full recovery".

"As a safeguard, further treatment in the form of chemotherapy will commence shortly and last for a few months. It is expected that, in time, he will have a full recovery.

"Our reasons for making this statement are a desire to be transparent, and to prevent the inevitable speculation and incorrect rumours.

"I would also request people's understanding and acceptance of our request for privacy while we go through the next few months, both for ourselves and for the extended Hadlee family, the statement concluded.

The right arm pacer was the first placer to take 400 test wickets and had the record of most wickets until Kapil Dev surpassed it in 1994. Sir Richard Hadlee also has two test centuries under his belt.