I knew Brad Haddin would get the number one keeping job.
I wouldn’t have picked him, but the selectors now love picking well performed 30 year olds, and Haddin had been the apprentice for so long, Ronchi never stood a real chance.
If that is how they are doing it, so be it, but 8 tests in and where are the performances.
His keeping has been average, at best, he has played injured instead of letting replacements in, his batting, while being handy, has not been near his shield standard, and so far he has not provided any impact.
Going out to a Jesse Ryder straight one, with a loose shot on the up.
He is lucky though, because Luke Ronchi has not been firing for the Warriors this year.
If he was, Haddin might be told he has the summer to settle the spot.
The only keeper in Australia to be batting at an average over 30 is Tim Paine.
And this is his first full year of wicket keeping at shield level.
The boy is a freak, no doubt, but he has never had a full break out year with the bat, and it took him forever to get rid of Clingleffer for the main spot with the gloves.
All this is helping Haddin, but the selectors wont keep him around forever, in India he was batted ahead of Cameron White, so the selectors still believe in him, but for how long.
He is older than Ronchi and Paine, and the one thing we know about Ronchi is impact.
The boy is all impact, and when Haddin let him come in for the one dayers in the West Indies Ronchi made 60 odd off 30 odd.
People tend to remember that.
Now Haddin is at home, on the pitches that suit him, he has to perform.
Australia is not good enough to carry someone anymore.
cricketwithballs
Haddin has been very nice to Jesse in this test.Gifting him a 1st test wicket then punching the ball out of Hayden’s hands so we could enjoy his unique batting style.Thanks Brad.
Surely he cannot see it out to Boxing Day on this form? Why are keepers treated differently by selectors by the way – or is it a NSW thing?
ive felt this way about our young gun keeper p. jayawardene as well. he is dynamite with the gloves. in fact i think he is the best in the world at the moment in test cricket.he is flawless to murali and mendis!but his batting i not good. he is very much like haddin. likes to attach but doesnt seem to be able to get it together at test level.aus need those runs from him, specially with more retirements looming, i think its not a bad move to get a kid in their who can bat a bit and keeps well, keepers need to be a long term thing. aus have always gone that way.why change ? haddin does not have too many years in him in any case.