Rather than lob another personal barb at Mickey Arthur, Brad Haddin has taken aim at his Pakistan team’s character ahead of this week’s day-night first Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Former national vice-captain Haddin has made no secret of his rocky relationship with his former Australia coach Arthur, who has now taken over the Pakistan reins.
But Haddin was not interested in another slanging match before the Gabba’s first pink ball Test starting on Thursday.
Instead he went gunning for the Pakistan team, saying they faced a test of character this summer.
Haddin baulked at Arthur’s claim that a new look Australia “aren’t as stable” as the touring Pakistani team.
Pakistan are still reeling from a 2-0 result in New Zealand – their first Test series loss to the Black Caps since 1985.
Haddin said he wondered what an Arthur-coached Pakistan team would do when the going got tough in Australia.
“It will be interesting to see how far Pakistan has come when we put them under pressure,” he told AAP.
“We know they are good front runners.
“But it will be interesting to see how they go when they are put under pressure and the big moments present themselves.
“That’s when we will see how far this team has come along.”
However, Haddin bit his tongue when asked about South Africa-born Arthur returning to the Gabba as Pakistan coach after he was unceremoniously dumped by Australia weeks before the 2013 Ashes.
Arthur made his Test debut as Australia’s first foreign coach five years ago at the same venue.
“I know where this is heading. Look, it’s a great sideshow and makes for great theatre,” Haddin said.
The former Test wicketkeeper believed the Australian team would share his tight-lipped approach to Arthur in the dressing room.
“I don’t think it will even come up in conversation to be honest,” he said of Arthur.
“(Australian captain) Steve Smith has put his own identity on the team – I don’t think it will cross anyone’s mind.”
Haddin believed Australia had “moved forward” with their third Test win over South Africa in Adelaide, snapping a five-game losing run.
Haddin said it was great to see a new look Australia respond after Smith “drew a line in the sand” following their humiliating second Test loss in Hobart.
“They are playing attractive cricket and starting to win games,” said Haddin.
“It looks a happy place. I have been impressed with them the last couple of weeks.”
Pakistan have lost their last nine Tests in Australia.
They last savoured a Test victory in Australia way back in 1995.
Mike
Guest
A hard projectile travelling at 150kph+ aimed deliberately at the head. I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. When does the consequences of dangerous activity stop being regarded as accidental? You miss the main point of my comment. It is not so much that they are practising bowling bouncers, but that they are using 'head' targets. Are you aware of the 'one punch can kill' campaign? What do you reckon would be the most lethal a punch or a cricket ball at those speeds? Would you regard the extreme outrage against the English bodyline tactic years ago as being attention seeking also or is that different?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
You cannot reasonably expect a short pitched delivery to kill a player, even if it does actually hit them. What happened to Phil Hughes was a freak accident with a tragic outcome, the level of outage in your comment honestly just seems like attention seeking.
davSA
Guest
As a Saffa not as emotionally involved with the Hughes tragedy as an Aussie would be I really don't see too much wrong with practising short pitched deliveries. I'm afraid its been part and parcel of the game for ages. I would not be surprised if Arthur were doing exactly the same in reverse and have his batsmen constantly face short pitched bowling to perfect technique in playing whats coming. Interestingly the Aussie press are labelling them Arthurs Pakistan. Does anyone even know the name of the Proteas head coach.
Mike
Guest
Really Haddin questioning the character of the Pakistani team. I saw today on the news that the Australian cricket team have been preparing for the upcoming test with special short pitched delivery sessions using head sized water containers on stakes placing them at head height as targets. Disgust doesn't begin to describe my response to seeing this, watching the container being hit by the fast bowling. This should result in immediate mass sackings. I shudder to think how the family of Philllip Hughes' family will react to the news of such atrocious behaviour. Should a Pakistani batsman be struck and killed by a fast short pitched delivery then I would imagine that the Australian cricket players and administrators would be open to criminal liability, in light of the fact that they have practisedf specifically for this outcome. This makes it undeniable that the Australian cricket team is devoid of sportsmanship. The hypocrasy of this, when combined with the recent wearing of black arm bands makes me want to vomit.