“I Knew Straight Away…” The Drama Behind Brad Haddin’s Test Debut

Earning your baggy green and playing your first Test is a momentous occasion in any cricketer’s career.

For Brad Haddin, as soon as he took the field, nothing went to plan.

HADDS’ DRAMATIC TEST DEBUT:

Hadds – following in the footsteps of Adam Gilchrist after his retirement in 2008 – took over the mantle as Australia’s Test wicket keeper against the West Indies.

Until a blow to the finger early in the match just about dismantled those plans.

“It was a long way over in Kingston, Jamaica,” he explained on Willow Talk.

“I remember getting the cap off the great Ricky Ponting, and finally getting the opportunity to play. First Test match, you’re excited about getting that opportunity.”

But then came a wild delivery from Mitchell Johnson.

“I had Mitchell Johnson bowling, and Mitch at times could spray the ball. So about the third over he’s bowled a wide down leg side and I’ve dived, as athletic as I possibly could. I was in no way going to get it – I was just so pumped to be there, I thought I could fly.

“It hit the end of my finger, and as a wicket keeper you know straight away whether you’ve just hit the top and got a little bit of a bruise or just taken your nail, or broken your finger.

“I knew straight away I’d broken my finger, so I went to my good mate Michael Hussey at gully, I just quietly said ‘oh Huss, I think I’ve broken my finger’. I wasn’t looking for any sympathy.”

And sympathy in his first Test isn’t what Hadds got.

“He looked me straight in the eye and he said ‘I’m not wicket keeping!'”

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