Brad Haddin hits back at claims he was silenced by Ben Stokes

Brad Haddin has clapped back at a former England captain’s claim he was silenced by Ben Stokes when they clashed during the all-rounder’s debut Test match.

Brad Haddin has rubbished claims by Mike Atherton that a young Ben Stokes somehow silenced him on the Englishman’s Test debut.

In trying to sum up Stokes’ character as an intimidating presence on the cricket field ahead of his 100th Test this week, Atherton implied in The Times that Haddin suddenly stopped sledging the fiery all-rounder during the 2013 Adelaide Ashes Test after being warned of his intimidating nature by other English players.

Ben Stokes clashes with Brad Haddin.

However, Haddin has laughed off that version of events as “a load of crap”, claiming the opposite was true and that he actually doubled down on goading Stokes after the debutant had butchered taking his wicket by being pulled up for a front-foot no ball.

This is a Test where Haddin went on to make a bulldozing century featuring 11 boundaries and five sixes and Australia posted 570 declared in their first innings to set-up a landslide 218-run victory in the second Test.

There is a photo of Haddin smirking at an agitated Stokes during his innings.

“All the talent, ability, character and aptitude for the occasion at the highest level were immediately in evidence, following a stand-up confrontation with Brad Haddin, Australia’s experienced wicketkeeper, in the first match and a maiden hundred in the second,” wrote Atherton.

England's Ben Stokes (left) and Australia's Brad Haddin (centre) look at the stumps afer Stokes knocked the bails off while bowling.

“‘I wouldn’t get yourself much further into this one with him, mate,’ Haddin was warned by Anderson in Adelaide, ‘he doesn’t quite know the difference between on and off the pitch, if you know what I mean.’

“‘Nutter,” said Matt Prior to Haddin, nodding in Stokes’s direction. Haddin did not utter a word after that.

“Immediately, Australia’s players knew they were dealing with a character to be reckoned with, and in Perth, after a brilliant hundred, they knew they were dealing with a cricketer to be reckoned with.”

Ben Stokes celebrates dismissing Brad Haddin.

Haddin said it was laughable to suggest Australia was intimidated by Stokes in a match and a series where they were completely dominating and hit back at Atherton’s claims with his own version of events.

“My response is I’ve never heard more crap in my life!” Haddin told The Willow Talk Podcast.

“What, we were meant to be intimidated by Ben Stokes?”

“I’ll tell you what did happen. There was a confrontation mid-wicket and we started it.

“ … He nicked me off for 50 (but it was a) no ball. So I’ve walked back in and as I’ve walked past Ben Stokes I congratulated him on his first Test wicket.

“ … So I found my opening. He’s blown up and I’m going back at him. It was quite amusing.”

Haddin said Prior and Anderson never said a word to him, contrary to Atherton’s telling.

“Didn’t say a word. For him and Jimmy Anderson to say we were what, intimated by Ben Stokes. What was he going to do? He was a kid playing a Test match. Well, they didn’t get their facts right there.”

Haddin said players aren’t physically intimidated by Stokes, but it is his outstanding ability to stand up in big moments which he deserves credit for.

Originally published as Brad Haddin hits back at claims he was silenced by Ben Stokes