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MELBOURNE - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has claimed something of a victory in the "glove-gate" furore, saying Brad Haddin received a text message apology from New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori.
But the New Zealand camp stopped short of using the word "apology", saying only the pair had exchanged text messages, and had moved on.
Ponting said Vettori texted Haddin to clear the air after Haddin objected to what he thought was Vettori doubting his character after Neil Broom's controversial dismissal in the tourists' two-wicket win in Perth on Sunday.
Vettori and his New Zealand teammates shared the widely held view that the ball from Michael Clarke had missed the stumps and Haddin's gloves had knocked off the bails instead.
"As his reaction showed, (Haddin) was pretty disappointed with it. I was hit between the eyes with it immediately after the game as well," Ponting said today.
"I honestly think Brad has done nothing wrong. It was interesting getting off the plane here the other day, he got an apology via text message from Daniel."
New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker was reluctant to comment further, but confirmed Vettori and Haddin had made contact.
"We've agreed both sides have a different version of events, we should put the matter behind us and it was nothing personal," Crocker said.
It is understood the New Zealand camp felt there was no apology necessary, and coach Andy Moles on Monday stood by Vettori's post-match comments.
Ponting said Haddin had accepted what Vettori had to say since, and the issue was "done and dusted now".
Vettori said after the Perth match: "I think you saw from Haddin's reaction that he knew something was wrong so he probably should have made more noise about it."
The following day Vettori moved to smooth the waters after Haddin's heated reaction, saying: "It was a subjective analysis of the situation, there was no intention of casting aspersions on his character."
New Zealand found an unlikely ally yesterday in controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair who was damning of Haddin.
"It's quite clear-cut. His (Haddin's) gloves were in front of the stumps and the ball hadn't passed the line of stumps, so he's in breach of the law and it should have just been an automatic no-ball," Hair told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"Of all the people on the ground, he would have been the one who was best positioned to know. I think he should have owned up to it.
"I saw that (Ricky) Ponting has gone into bat for him after the Kiwis called him (Haddin) a cheat, but I can understand why the Kiwis would be livid about it."
Hair said his compatriot Bruce Oxenford, the umpire standing at square leg, should have called no-ball with Haddin clearly breaking the rules with his gloves in front of the stumps.
Ponting was speaking today after sharing the Allan Border Medal, for Australian player of the year, with vice-captain Michael Clarke last night.
Ponting is being rested by the Australian selectors for the next two Chappell-Hadlee Trophy matches in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney on Sunday, with Clarke taking over the captaincy.
- NZPA
