Courageous Haddin shows how’s it done behind the stumps and in front of his family
IF ANYONE should know there is more to life than cricket it is Brad Haddin. The outstanding cricketer talks about his career, family and his book ‘My Family’s Keeper’.
Rouse Hill
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IF ANYONE should know there is more to life than cricket, it is Brad Haddin.
The classy Australian Test and one-day wicketkeeper had to put his career on a side when his daughter Mia got cancer in March 2012, catching the first plane out of Kingston to be at her side. Remarkably, Haddin returned to the side, starred in Australia’s hugely-successful Ashes in 2013/14 and the 2015 World Cup campaign before calling it a day.
Make no mistake: Family comes first for Haddin and the 39-year-old is now pleased that Mia is progressing well after being treated for cancer.
Haddin has laid his soul bare in his autobiography My Family’s Keeper and will be discussing the book and his life at the Vinegar Hill Memorial Library, Rouse Hill, on Tuesday, November 22.
“Mia is going well, she has had tough road so far but has started school now,” Haddin told the Rouse Hill Times.
Asked what kept him going during the darkest days of Mia’s initial diagnosis, the father of Zachery, Mia and Hugo, said:
“It was the love of my family which helped.
“My book is different from the other cricket books as it gives honest answers and if we can inspire other people (who have similar problems), it will be all worth it.”
During a stellar career for Australia, the pugnacious Haddin played 66 Tests, scoring 3266 runs while accumulating 3,122 in his 126 ODIs by the time he retired on September 9, 2015.
Haddin, who was already 30 when he filled the massive hole left by Adam Gilchrist in the Australian team, also represented played T20 games.
One of Australia’s top glovemen and handy middle order bat, Haddin is surprisingly not having a go at any of his peers or anyone of the cricketing hierarchy like many former players do, instead saying he had a terrific career.
“I am enjoying retirement as I had a wonderful career with the Australian and NSW teams,” Haddin said.
“I don’t have one regret in my career and I wouldn’t change it for the world, good or bad.
“I will always enjoy watching Australia play cricket but it was my time to go though I am still playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash.
“I am very blessed as my body feels OK.”
Haddin, who was a member of the champion Australian World Cup team, said he thinks the selectors should pursue a youth policy to halt the crisis in the Test team.
“There have been a lot of batting collapses and it be interesting to see how the selectors go,” Haddin said.
“But I don’t blame T20 or one-day games for (our poor) batting (in Test cricket) as there is a place for both formats of the game.
“Playing Test cricket is the pinnacle of character and mental strength and we need to get our preparations right.”
Haddin, who is married to Karina, said that NSW cricket is being well served and picks our Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson as the next big things for Australian cricket.
“Moises’ leadership has grown a lot in the last 18 months while Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson are very exciting,” Haddin said.
■ A tribute to Brad Haddin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm6JGNqfSIM
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