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On Saturday, Brad Haddin played his first international match since February after Australia’s batsmen suddenly decided they didn’t want to bat in India and feigned any number of injuries. Haddin hit 69 then, although India’s innings was washed-out.
Today, Haddin hit 87 not out off 69 balls and Australia won by 84 runs. This innings was of more interest for the future though. Brad Haddin averages 40 in first-class cricket and now he’s showing some ability at international level.
Australian cricketers may appear to have the life-giving properties of the Holy Grail at their disposal, but Warne and McGrath’s retirements last year disprove this. They are mortal. Those wizened faces are attached to ageing bodies, even if they don’t seem as creaky as they should be. With that in mind, Adam Gilchrist WILL retire.
No, really. We know that you don’t believe us, but he will. He’ll be 36 in a month or so and while Alec Stewart saw off ‘time to call it a day, granddad’ jibes for four years longer than that, Gilchrist doesn’t have the luxury of crap back-up warding off the gold watch.
So, young, soon-to-be-30, Brad Haddin will be the man taking over and whereas there was no new Shane Warne, the wicketkeeping position is more likely to follow the temporarily overlapping template used for the Glenn McGrath to Stuart Clark handover.
As a leg-spinner, would Warne’s handover have been a legover if there’d been a suitable understudy?
With the future in mind, perhaps Gilchrist should give Haddin the gloves for the next match and see how does behind the wicket, as well as in front of it.
It was interesting to see Paul Harris in action today. He seems to think he’s actually a bowler, so he must be a medium-pacer in disguise.
I think you’ll find that Haddin is quite experienced with the gloves, Dave, He has about 30 ODI’s already under his cap.
And I have it on ‘good” authority from a friend who works with Gilly’s brother sometimes, that he WAS going to retire after the WC, but changed his mind due to that final innings.
enough about Warne and his leg-overs – have some decency!