Which bowler was the first to achieve 400 wickets in test cricket?

A wicket or (dismissal) is when the batsman gets out, either caught, bowled (bowler hitting his stumps) or hit on the legs in front of his stumps called LBW (leg before wicket). The bowler is awarded the wicket.

The stumps are three poles the batsman stands in front of about knee high protecting them from the bowler.

Richard John Hadlee was born in St Alban's Christchurch on 3rd of July 1951. His father Walter played for New Zealand between 1937-1951 making his test debut against England on 26th June 1937. In his test career he took 6 first class wickets and scored 7523 runs. He was the Captain against England in 1949 in a era in which New Zealand had not won a Test.

Richard Hadlee made his test debut against Pakistan in the 1972-73 season, cap number 127. He scored 46 runs and took 2-112 in the test.

By the end of the 1988-89 season when his autobiography was published he had taken 396 Wickets, 4 short of his goal of 400.

He took his 400th test wicket in the 1st test against India on their Tour of New Zealand. In the second Innings SV Manjrekar pulled a ball off the inside of his bat onto his stumps to be bowled out for 4 runs. Richard Hadlee dismissed Manjrekar in the first innings as well.

Richard Hadlee went on to take 431 wickets at a average of 22.29 and a total of 1490 first class wickets a average of 18.11.

Hadlee was appointed a MBE in 1980 and in 1990 Knighted for his service to cricket. He was inducted into the ICC Hall Of Fame in 2009.