When Brad Haddin replaced Australian cricketing great Adam Gilchrist in 2008, we all knew the New South Welshman had big boots to fill. No, giant boots.
At the same time, though, Haddin had been the next in line for years and you got the sense that the 30-year-old would take the opportunity with both hands.
In the wake of the wicketkeeper-batsman calling stumps on his career, it can be said that he did just that.
Haddin confirmed his future early as he compiled an entertaining 169 against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in his first Australian Test summer. The 66-Test veteran finished with 3266 runs at an average of 32.98.
The nimble gloveman took 270 dismissals, finishing with a dismissals per innings record second to only Gilchrist for Australians and ahead of Ian Healy and Rod Marsh.
That is remarkable in light of the fact that Haddin, unlike Healy, never kept wicket to the wizardly Shane Warne or the highest wicket-taker for a fast bowler, Glenn McGrath.
A notable contributor in all three formats of the game, Haddin came to the fore in Australia’s whitewash win of the 2013-14 Ashes.
He lifted the baggy green out of trouble with a gritty back-to-the-wall knock in every first innings, finishing the series with a mammoth 493 runs at an average of 61.62.
Only David Warner scored more runs in the series and Haddin’s performance arguably should have warranted him the man of the series over spearhead Mitchell Johnson.
Statistics alone do not paint a complete picture of the fine cricketer Haddin was, however.
The commitment with which he fought to win back his place in the Test side from Matthew Wade after flying home from the 2012 West Indies tour spoke volumes about the cricketer and family man he was.
Haddin put his family first when his 17-month-old daughter Mia was diagnosed with cancer and it was sadly his family-first approach that essentially ended his career after the first Ashes Test two months ago.
The Test veteran was also a highly popular member of the Australian squad.
He always revelled in a heated exchange of sledges in support of his fellow teammates and was a fitting deputy for captain Michael Clarke during a rebuilding phase for the Australian side.
He also had a lofted straight drive that time after time would produce the most effortless sixes in world cricket.
Haddin emerged from the colossal shadow of Gilchrist to become an acclaimed servant to Australian cricket.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Wade's (40.11) and Neville's (41.85) first-class batting averages are inseperable. Neville is a very tidy keeper and I have been also been impressed with his batting. He seems very level-headed and conservative, even in the Big Bash for the Sixers I might add! As a batsman I would say he is similar to Jordan Silk in that regard.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I'm not writing off Wade either, though Nevill's FC record is actually superior and he seems the better keeper too (which we all agree is more important). I think Wade has a lot of work to do to get back into the Test side, unless Nevill fundamentally fails to step up.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
That would have been a brutal innings, Pope Paul V11.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
As for Wade, I wouldn't write off a return of his to the Test arena, especially if his keeping can continue to improve. Question marks linger over Australia's batting order, given the retirements of Rogers, Clarke, Watson, the ambiguity around the chances of Voges and the Marsh brothers to keep their spots in the side and the multiple middle-order batting collapses in the recent Ashes loss. So for as long as these question marks remain, I think Wade has a good chance of clawing his way back into the side to bolster the batting.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
My favourite Heals innings was a fighting 52 in the frightening 88/89 series. Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh and B P Patterson.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
I agree that Haddin batted in an easier generation. Healy faced Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Courtney Walsh, Curtley Ambrose, Allan Donald, Muttiah Muralitheran and other stars. Every generation has its guns, though, and Haddin fought fire with fire in an era boasting the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and James Anderson.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Except you can't really judge across generations, gotta remember context. No doubt Hads has more talent with the blade than Healy, but I'd say Haddin batted in an easier generation. Also Healy was a better gloveman. I don't wanna be too harsh on Hads, as I said it was always gonna be tough post-Gilly, but the modern team expects the keeper to meaningfully contribute with the bat and Haddin, outside of one series, failed to do that for half a decade. Was he still the best man for the job? Dunno, certainly Wade wasn't good enough to keep his spot over Haddin.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
That was in response to Nudge saying that I didn't mention Haddin's keeping ability.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Where did I say he was a poor keeper? I've responded to a quote about his batting and clearly set out that he was actually quite poor with the bat for a long time. As I said, he was likely the best we had and his keeper was frequently top notch, but let's get serious about his batting...
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
"The nimble gloveman took 270 dismissals, finishing with a dismissals per innings record second to only Gilchrist for Australians and ahead of Ian Healy and Rod Marsh. That is remarkable in light of the fact that Haddin, unlike Healy, never kept wicket to the wizardly Shane Warne or the highest wicket-taker for a fast bowler, Glenn McGrath." A good reiteration of my article, Nudge. Haddin, unlike Gilchrist, was primarily a keeper and a top-class one indeed. He was also very handy when wielding the willow.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
You seem to have forgotten that Haddin's batting was always going to be down-played because he emerged from Gilchrist's emphatic shadow. Maybe if you compared Haddin's career batting average with Healy's (27.39) and Marsh's (26.51) you would have a greater appreciation for the value he brought to Australia's batting.
Nudge
Guest
And that is the problem with some cricket supporters bush. You've just written 100 words and no mention of the main job a keeper is picked in the team for. Haddin was a great wicketkeeper who stayed in the team, because his glove work was top notch. His glove work was first class when standing back to the quicks but it was his work up at the stumps to the spinners where he was outstanding. Nathan Lyon has said that he owes Haddin a hell of lot for never missing any chances from him
The Bush
Roar Guru
"His value as a batsman was epitomised in no better way than in the 2013-14 Ashes in which he and Warner carried the Aussies time and again. What? I recall Smith and Clarke both scoring two centuries in the series. To say those two carried the team is outrageous. Look the bloke played out of his skin that series and was frequently the man that saved the Test for us, something Watto for example never did in a win, but lets not get carried away. If you take that series out of his career, he averaged a shocking low 20s from about February 2011 onwards (again he had a wonderful home Ashes in 2010/11). No one was going to successful "replace" Gilly, and Haddin was likely the best we had, but lets not keep the rose-tinted glasses on too long, he was rightly replaced in 2012 and was retained far too long into his career. For the record, after averaging 38.75 in 2010, this was Haddin's "contribution" with the bat for the next five years: 2011: 21.93 2012: 0 (he got a duck and DNB in his only two tests) 2013: 38.05 2014: 17.86 2015: 24.75 In other words, he had that amazing Ashes, and he was otherwise incredibly average with the bat for half a decade...
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Haddin was a champion player. As a keeper he was all-class, averaging more dismissals per innings than previous greats Ian Healy and Rod Marsh to reiterate my point in the article. I can in fact recall Shane Warne saying in the commentary box that although Gilly was clearly a better wicketkeeper-batsman, Haddin pipped him as a keeper. Think about those one-handed screamers he would take - off-side and leg-side ripper snorters. His value as a batsman was epitomised in no better way than in the 2013-14 Ashes in which he and Warner carried the Aussies time and again. But there were other ways in which Haddin was a champion batsman for a keeper's standards. His aggressive approach meant he could turn a match on its head quickly, similarly to Gilly. And what a shot was his trademark lofted straight drive. Not to mention his value as a vice-captain.
Targa
Guest
I respect him as a family man and a hard-working player, but he is hardly a champion. Most teams in the last few years have had better keeper-batsmen.