Brad Haddin To Join Oz Support Team

Cricket365
August 10, 2017

Former Australia wicket-keeper Brad Haddin has joined the support team staff with the Australian Men’s side as High Performance Coach until the end of 2019.

Haddin replaces former Australia batsman Greg Blewett who has taken up a position with the South Australian Cricket Association, predominately as the coach of the Under 19 side but also as assistant coach of the West End Redbacks and the Adelaide Strikers.

Haddin played 66 Tests, taking 262 catches, and playing 126 one-day internationals, and 34 T20 Internationals for Australia before retiring in 2015.

Having come through the Australian Cricket Coaches Pathway system, Haddin has coached with Australia A side in the recent Townsville Series, was assistant coach during the tour of New Zealand, worked with Cricket ACT’s high performance team and completed a stint with Islamabad in the Pakistan Premier League.

Haddin said: “I am thrilled to get the opportunity to work with this young group of players.

“I grew up in an era of players like Andrew Symonds and Ricky Ponting who gave Australian cricket a real identity in the standards of world class fielding. They were the type of players who took it personally if the team wasn’t fielding well and that created a level for the rest of the group to aspire to.

“I want to hold this group accountable to that kind of standard and I believe we have the talent to do that.

“It will be hard work but I am looking forward to the challenge.

“Given my background is in wicket-keeping it will be great to be able to work with the keepers in the side and give them a sounding board,” concluded Haddin.

Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann said it was a real coup to be able to secure Haddin’s skills following the departure of Blewett.

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“It has been fantastic having Greg involved in the side, and we are really pleased he is staying within the Australian Cricket Coaching System to continue developing young talent in South Australia.

“Brad had a wonderful career as a player for Australia and will bring a multi skill set to our environment.

“His primary focus will be on fielding, carrying on the good work that Greg has done, but will also work very closely with our wicket-keepers.

“Having someone with a pedigree such as Brad’s to bounce ideas off and fine tune their skills will be immensely valuable for our keepers,” concluded Lehmann.