An Australian antagonist
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Sep-2015
Brad Haddin has been celebrated as the ultimate team man by his team-mates and coaches, someone who always put the greater good of the group first. He was not shy of being the 'bad guy' either - the antagonist who went hard at opponents on and off the field to try and further Australia's prospects. Here are some of the more colourful - and controversial - moments of his career.
#ThingsThatMakeHaddinUncomfortable
The hashtag was born after Haddin revealed why he had been so aggressive towards New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final, sending off several of their batsmen in less-than-polite fashion. It was because New Zealand - the team and country - had been so nice to the Australian team during their group game in Auckland that Haddin could not stand it anymore. "You know what? They deserved it," Haddin had told the radio station Triple M. "They were that nice to us in New Zealand and we were that uncomfortable. I said in the team meeting: 'I can't stand for this anymore, we're going at them as hard as we can … I'm not playing another one-day game, so they can suspend me for as long as they like."
The hashtag was born after Haddin revealed why he had been so aggressive towards New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final, sending off several of their batsmen in less-than-polite fashion. It was because New Zealand - the team and country - had been so nice to the Australian team during their group game in Auckland that Haddin could not stand it anymore. "You know what? They deserved it," Haddin had told the radio station Triple M. "They were that nice to us in New Zealand and we were that uncomfortable. I said in the team meeting: 'I can't stand for this anymore, we're going at them as hard as we can … I'm not playing another one-day game, so they can suspend me for as long as they like."
"I don't really understand the hype …"
Before Australia arrived in London for the 2015 Ashes, England had just completed what was considered to be the most significant ODI series they had ever played - a high-octane batting exhibition against New Zealand. And Haddin simply scoffed at it. "I don't really understand the hype around that one-day series," Haddin had said. "We'd just come off a World Cup. I don't understand what the excitement is about, and what this newfound form England found in that format. I'm a bit puzzled by it. We'd come off the World Cup and everyone had played - it was just like they were a couple of months too late."
Before Australia arrived in London for the 2015 Ashes, England had just completed what was considered to be the most significant ODI series they had ever played - a high-octane batting exhibition against New Zealand. And Haddin simply scoffed at it. "I don't really understand the hype around that one-day series," Haddin had said. "We'd just come off a World Cup. I don't understand what the excitement is about, and what this newfound form England found in that format. I'm a bit puzzled by it. We'd come off the World Cup and everyone had played - it was just like they were a couple of months too late."
"They break quicker than anyone in the world."
India were having a torrid time on their 2011-12 tour of Australia, losing the first two Tests by large margins. Ahead of the third match in Perth, Haddin laid into the visitors, attacking their team unity. "We know this side can be as fragile as any team in the world if things aren't going their way and they can turn on each other and the media turns on them pretty quick," he had told Sky Sports Radio Australia. "We knew if we could keep them out there and put the numbers like we did on the board we knew we'd get the rewards because they break quicker than anyone in the world."
India were having a torrid time on their 2011-12 tour of Australia, losing the first two Tests by large margins. Ahead of the third match in Perth, Haddin laid into the visitors, attacking their team unity. "We know this side can be as fragile as any team in the world if things aren't going their way and they can turn on each other and the media turns on them pretty quick," he had told Sky Sports Radio Australia. "We knew if we could keep them out there and put the numbers like we did on the board we knew we'd get the rewards because they break quicker than anyone in the world."
The Neil Broom incident
The most controversial incident of Haddin's career occurred when Michael Clarke seemingly bowled New Zealand batsman Neil Broom in an ODI in Perth in February 2009. Replays indicated that not only did Haddin have his gloves in front of the stumps to collect the delivery - which should have led to a call of no-ball from the umpires - but also that he might have dislodged the bails with his hands, and that the ball had passed just over the top of the stumps. Haddin responded angrily to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori's criticism of his conduct.
The most controversial incident of Haddin's career occurred when Michael Clarke seemingly bowled New Zealand batsman Neil Broom in an ODI in Perth in February 2009. Replays indicated that not only did Haddin have his gloves in front of the stumps to collect the delivery - which should have led to a call of no-ball from the umpires - but also that he might have dislodged the bails with his hands, and that the ball had passed just over the top of the stumps. Haddin responded angrily to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori's criticism of his conduct.
"I'm pretty disappointed in Dan that he didn't have the decency to come and speak to me after the game if he had an issue with it rather than air his thoughts in a press conference," Haddin told AAP at the time. "I think the polite or the decent thing to do would be to come and ask me. He's played a lot of cricket now and he knows too well what happens with these situations, so I thought it was a bit low. I think it's quite poor. After looking at the replay, my hands were in front of the stumps. But the ball, I'm 100% positive, hit the bails first and then came up into my gloves."
Benn banned, Haddin fined
On the second day of the Perth Test between West Indies and Australia in 2009, there occurred an incident that led to Sulieman Benn being suspended for two ODIs, Haddin fined 25% of his match fee and Mitchell Johnson 10%. It began with a run-in between the bowler Benn, who was moving across to field a drive, and the non-striker Johnson, who was taking off for a single. The contact seemed incidental, with neither man at fault, but Haddin appeared to inflame the situation after completing the run, when he pointed his bat at Benn in admonition. "It was an incident which could have been avoided," the match referee Chris Broad said. "No one likes to see cricketers pointing bats at their opponents or pushing each other away."
On the second day of the Perth Test between West Indies and Australia in 2009, there occurred an incident that led to Sulieman Benn being suspended for two ODIs, Haddin fined 25% of his match fee and Mitchell Johnson 10%. It began with a run-in between the bowler Benn, who was moving across to field a drive, and the non-striker Johnson, who was taking off for a single. The contact seemed incidental, with neither man at fault, but Haddin appeared to inflame the situation after completing the run, when he pointed his bat at Benn in admonition. "It was an incident which could have been avoided," the match referee Chris Broad said. "No one likes to see cricketers pointing bats at their opponents or pushing each other away."
Haddin said later that the incident was "something that I'm not proud of."
"Mickey was very, very insecure …"
Mickey Arthur was sacked as Australia coach in June 2013, before the Ashes in England. Later that year, Haddin was stinging in his criticism of Arthur's tenure, and compared him unfavourably with his successor Darren Lehmann. "I don't think he [Arthur] understood and was secure enough in himself to get us to where we needed to go … That wasn't the Australian cricket team that I knew when I flew into Mohali … It was uncomfortable, walking into it. Guys jumping at shadows and the insecurity around everything that was being done, so just refreshing to get back here now and enjoy the game for what it is, a great game and been great for all of us."
Mickey Arthur was sacked as Australia coach in June 2013, before the Ashes in England. Later that year, Haddin was stinging in his criticism of Arthur's tenure, and compared him unfavourably with his successor Darren Lehmann. "I don't think he [Arthur] understood and was secure enough in himself to get us to where we needed to go … That wasn't the Australian cricket team that I knew when I flew into Mohali … It was uncomfortable, walking into it. Guys jumping at shadows and the insecurity around everything that was being done, so just refreshing to get back here now and enjoy the game for what it is, a great game and been great for all of us."