Cricket: Haddin controversy adds spice to tour

Brad Haddin found himself in the spotlight against New Zealand last year. Photo / Getty Images

It was an incident that strained diplomatic relations on both sides of the Tasman.

It didn't require troops to be deployed and it certainly didn't reach the furore that happened after the 1981 underarm incident but it was significant nonetheless.

Twelve months ago during last year's Chappell-Hadlee series in Perth, New Zealand batsman Neil Broom was given out bowled despite the fact Brad Haddin had dislodged a bail with his gloves. It's an automatic no ball if the wicketkeeper's gloves are in front of the stumps.

Daniel Vettori went on the offensive, believing Haddin knew something was amiss with the dismissal. Ricky Ponting launched a counter-attack, saying Vettori ought to be careful before accusing his wicketkeeper of "cheating".

Haddin, himself, said it was "low" of Vettori not to speak to him about it before making accusations.

Vettori soon texted Haddin to clear the air, which the Aussies saw as an apology (Vettori said it was no such thing), but both sides agreed to "move on" and the United Nations breathed a sigh of relief.

Haddin expects the incident to get an airing both on and off the park when the Australian cricket side arrive in New Zealand this week for two Twenty20 internationals, five one-dayers and two tests.

"I hope so," Haddin says. "I hope it gives [the series] a little more flavour.

"We are all playing professional sport. We are all doing what we can to win cricket games. We all knows there's a line to be crossed but it's always a good contest against New Zealand.

"It's always been the same no matter if it's rugby, rugby league or netball. It's always a fierce contest and I don't think it will be any different when we play cricket."

New Zealand cricket fans will hope so. They have been waiting for this tour all summer. After the ho-hum series against Pakistan, the unusual absence of international cricket in January and the underwhelming series against Bangladesh, there's been little to get excited about.

It's been similarly dull on the other side of the Tasman. Australia swept the series with Pakistan (three tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20 match) and wrapped up an extremely comfortable series win over West Indies on Friday.

It's hard to get a true gauge on how good Australia are at the moment - much like New Zealand - but there's a belief they have navigated their way through the loss of the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Mathew Hayden and Justin Langer.

"There was a lot of talk [of us being a spent force] after we lost a lot of great players in a short period of time," Haddin says. "There was a bit of a transition period but I think that is over.

"We are starting to play some pretty consistent cricket as a group and a lot of us now have played 15-20 tests or 50 one-day matches. We are trying to be the best Australian team we can be and leave our mark on world cricket."

Haddin says they are taking New Zealand seriously, especially in the shorter forms of the game. They beat the Black Caps in the final of last year's Champions Trophy and were lucky to hang onto the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy last year when the deciding game was abandoned with New Zealand on the cusp of victory.

Haddin also still remembers the 3-0 pasting they endured in New Zealand in 2007.

"That was a tour where New Zealand got the better of us," he says. "It was a pretty entertaining series for people to watch [but] from where we were sitting it wasn't a great result. We would definitely like to turn the tables.

"It's definitely a big tour for us. We don't want to come across and lose to New Zealand. There's a lot of pride at stake and we are definitely taking the tour very seriously.

"They are very competitive Twenty20 and one-day unit so they will be looking forward to it, too. "

Haddin didn't, though, offer much of an opinion on New Zealand's test squad other than to say there were a couple of names unfamiliar to them.

There will also be a handful of tourists who are unfamiliar to people here. The names Travis Birt, Daniel Christian, Ryan Harris, Shaun Marsh, Dirk Nannes and Steven Smith (all in the Twenty20 squad) and Doug Bollinger, Clint McKay and Adam Voges (one-day squad) are not always instantly recognisable.

Haddin is very much entitled to a seat near the front of the bus as one of the senior players. He also comes to New Zealand with a very good record against the Black Caps.

His highest test (189) and one-day international (109) scores have come against New Zealand and his respective averages against the Black Caps are nearly double his overall ones (64.67 and 50.25).

"It does look good," he agrees. "Maybe the smaller grounds and New Zealand style of bowling suits me."

Australian squads

* Twenty20: Michael Clarke (c), Cameron White (vc), Travis Birt, Daniel Christian, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Dirk Nannes, Steven Smith, Shaun Tait, David Warner, Shane Watson.

* One-day: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, James Hopes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Cameron White.