Haddin: Get Ready For Another Onslaught

BRAD Haddin was a consistent thorn in England’s side throughout the 2013/14 Ashes – and now he’s hoping that the current Australia side can blossom under the leadership of Steve Smith.

- Richard Edwards

The former Aussie wicketkeeper was appointed as the country’s fielding coach back in August, taking over from Greg Blewett who left his post to take up a coaching role with South Australia.

The sight of Haddin in the Aussie dressing room will bring back some painful memories for those England players involved in the 5-0 whitewash four winters ago.

And he’s confident that Australia can recreate the atmosphere that served them so well under Michael Clarke last time out – despite Smith’s sides’ struggles in Bangladesh and India in recent months.

Australia could only draw 1-1 with Bangladesh and had to battle back from losing the opening match of the two-Test series in Dhaka. They were then soundly thrashed 4-1 by India in an incongruously timed one-day tour on the eve of the Ashes.

That, though, will be forgotten by the time the two teams step out at the Gabba on November 23.

“We lost the first Test against Bangladesh which shouldn’t have happened but we fought back in the second – we’ve got some work to do before the big one,” says Haddin, who topped the Australian batting averages on England’s last tour Down Under.