New Zealand cricket legend Richard Hadlee undergoes surgery for bowel cancer

Richard Hadlee is considered one of the finest fast bowlers of all time having retired in 1990 with 431 test wickets.

Wellington: New Zealand`s leading test wicket taker Richard Hadlee has had surgery for bowel cancer and will have follow-up chemotherapy treatment, his family said on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old Hadlee, who is considered one of the finest fast bowlers of all time having retired in 1990 with 431 test wickets, had surgery after a routine checkup discovered a tumour.

"This operation went extremely well and he has made an excellent recovery from surgery," his wife Dianne said in a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket.

"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."

The right-arm fast bowler, who was the first player to take 400 test wickets and held the record for most wickets until India`s Kapil Dev surpassed it in 1994, was also a handy all-rounder scoring two test centuries.