Is this a domino effect? Have you noticed that the Australian cricketers retire in a bundle?
Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh retired together in the January 1984 Sydney Test against Pakistan.
Similarly Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer said farewell to Test cricket in the January 2007 Sydney Test against England.
Now within a month four Aussie Test cricketers – Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson and yesterday Brad Haddin – have retired from Test cricket.
Whereas Chappell, Marsh and Lillee as well as McGrath, Warne and Langer retired on a high and by their own choice, the current foursome have been pushed into retirement.
As all four, aged over 34, contributed significantly to Australia’s success over the last decade, their places will be hard to fill.
I agree that they had reached their use-by dates and it was time for them to go, but it is disappointing that Watson and Haddin did not have an on-field adieu.
In 265 Tests the four amassed 17,655 runs at 41.25, with 41 centuries (highest score 329 not out by Clarke) and 83 fifties. They also collectively took 106 wickets at 35.00 (best 6 for 9 by Clarke), with 5 five-wicket hauls in a Test innings, 456 catches, and eight stumpings (obviously all by Haddin).
Out of interest, let me compare them with the gold standard.
In 200 Tests, India’s Sachin Tendulkar off his own bat scored 15,921 runs at 53.78 with 51 centuries (highest score 248 not out) and 68 fifties, took 46 wickets at 54.17 (best 3 for 10) and 115 catches.
As this is a tribute to Haddin, his Test figures are as under.
In 66 Tests, the 37-year-old scored 3266 runs at 32.98, with four centuries (highest 169) and 18 fifties, while taking 262 catches and eight stumpings.
He waited until he was 30 to make his Test debut following the retirement of Adam Gilchrist and quickly established himself as a tenacious batsman and efficient wicketkeeper.
Only Ian Healy (119), Marsh and Adam Gilchrist (96 each) played more Tests for Australia as a wicketkeeper, and only Gilchrist and Haddin averaged above 30 with the bat among Australian wicketkeepers who played more than 12 Tests.
Haddin’s batting was at his best during Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of England in 2013-14, as he topped the averages with 61.63 when making 493 runs. His consistency of hitting a ton and six fifties was as much responsible for Australia’s convincing Ashes victory as Mitchell Johnson’s ferocious bowling.
“Brad was a vital player during an important period in Australian cricket,” Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said yesterday at the SCG.
“His tenacity with bat and gloves was matched with an unflinching will to win which made him the foundation of a changing team.
“Brad’s strong performances and positive influence on the team were all the more remarkable given he was dealing with the serious illness suffered by his daughter Mia.
“He showed true leadership at the most difficult of times and proved a loyal deputy to Michael Clarke when appointed vice-captain from the 2013 Ashes series.
“Brad can be enormously proud of his contribution to Australian cricket on and off the field.”
Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones commended Haddin for his loyalty to NSW and Australia.
“A born leader and mentor, Brad has also demonstrated great skill, toughness and longevity in his chosen discipline,” he said.
“Brad holds the NSW all-formats caps record of 195 matches jointly with Greg Matthews and sits ninth on the list of most first-class matches played for NSW.
“He is also second to Phil Emery with the number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper and 11th among the all-time first class run scorers for NSW.
“He also has the most matches, most runs, most dismissals and fastest century in one-day cricket for NSW.
“Brad epitomises and has strongly contributed to the successful culture of NSW cricket and we look forward to him continuing to play a significant role moving forward.
“His loyalty to state and country is a shining example to all those who will follow in his footsteps.”
Haddin’s 270 Test dismissals as a wicketkeeper are only behind Gilchrist’s 416, Healy’s 395 and Marsh’s 355 for Australia.
Haddin’s dismissal per Test ratio is 4.09, only behind Gilchrist’s of 4.33. Marsh and Healy are behind on 3.69 and 3.32 respectively.
Only Gilchrist (5570 runs at 47.60), Healy (4356 at 27.39) and Marsh (3633 at 26.51) scored more runs than Haddin’s 3266 at 32.98 as Australia’s glovemen.
They did not hesitate with their whispered comments behind the stumps either!
Bradley James Haddin, you will be missed.
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