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Brad Haddin has come under fire once again, this time from New Zealand after one news agency labelled him “the worst-spirited cricketer ever”.
It seems the scars he left in giving both Martin Guptill and Grant Elliott send-offs in the recent World Cup final have not yet healed. It should come as no surprise he is not only unpopular in New Zealand but from cricket fans over the world especially those rooting for the underdog in the final.
But if Haddin has been labelled as the worst – and considering Australia’s sledging record – do wicketkeepers find themselves in hot water more than the average cricketers? With a lot to say behind the stumps during play, they must feel the brunt of criticism from other sides.
While Adam Gilchrist will always be seen as one of the nice guys in an era of Australian cricket dominated by egocentric players, he landed himself in strife on more than one occasion throughout his illustrious career. Often portraying a clean image, especially after his commitment to walking – or his “walking crusade” as a former New Zealand captain put it – he was reprimanded on a few occasions by match referees as well as the ACB.
Who can forget Ian Healy’s sledge to Arjuna Ranatunga during an ODI at the SCG in 1996 that could be heard by the entire TV audience via the stump microphone. When the Sri Lankan captain asked for a runner after claiming he had “sprained something”, Healy replied “you don’t get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c#*t.”
The art of sledging, or ‘mental disintegration’ as Steve Waugh labelled it, has happened on the field for many years with traces back to the 1960s. It is no coincidence though, that from the invention of stump microphones in the early 1980s the cricketing audience has been exposed a lot more to the art of sledging.
The art of a great sledge is not just limited to ‘keepers, and there have been many cricketers over the years caught up in a verbal stoush or two. The skirmishes between Steve Waugh and Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan – and more recently Michael Clarke and Jimmy Anderson – have all found their way into sledging folklore.
With the proximity wicketkeepers have to the opposing players, it will always be a role that is dealt and often welcomed by them. The upcoming Ashes series promises to be no different with Haddin and Jos Buttler both unafraid in voicing their opinions on the field.
The battle of the ‘keepers is just one mini contest that will have an impact on how the 2015 Ashes plays out, and if the previous series is anything to go by it will be an absorbing duel.
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