Hadlee and Donald are quite different beasts, but they also have plenty in common. Both started out as tearaway fast bowlers. Both shared a natural athleticism, a Rolls-Royce of a run-up and an implausibly smooth side-on bowling action. Hadlee only got better with age - he lost at least a yard of pace, but his accuracy, bounce and variations almost made him a better bowler. For some reason the same couldn't quite be said of Donald, despite the fact that he was also uncannily accurate and had the ability to move the ball both ways. I guess it's because Donald was always more of a strike bowler at heart, whereas Hadlee had to lead a pretty second rate attack and was both the team's offensive weapon and its tool for keeping the runs down.
That said, I'd rather watch Donald in action. It's to my great regret I never saw him live. This is a fantastic spell of bowling on a flat pitch:
But he was at his best when it came to the mano-a-mano, gladiatorial duels. Withness him battering Steve Waugh and Mike Atherton. Magnificent cricket.
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