Haddin called up for rested Gilchrist
Michael Donaldson - 28 January 2001

SYDNEY - New South Wales wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has been called into the Australian team for Tuesday's one-day cricket match against Zimbabwe in Hobart to replace Adam Gilchrist.

The Australian vice-captain will be rested for the match and will head straight to Perth for Australia's following game of the tri-series - also against Zimbabwe.

Haddin, an exciting opener for the Blues in the one-day arena, will keep wickets but will not fill Gilchrist's opening role in the Hobart match.

Australian captain Steve Waugh said it was always planned to give Gilchrist a rest at some stage in the series as the work of keeping and opening could take its toll.Gilchrist takes his break after scoring 63 and taking two stumpings and a catch in tonight's 86-run rout of Zimbabwe at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia made 6-291 and then bowled out Zimbabwe for 205 to make it six wins from six games in the series and leave Zimbabwe with one win from five matches.

Afterwards, Waugh said the decision to rest Gilchrist was part of Australia's plan to give all players a break when possible.

"Adam's just having a rest - it was something that was planned a long time ago, even back as far as our training camp in Mooloolaba," Waugh said.

"Obviously he plays every game - he's got batting and keeping -- we just feel he needs a little bit of a break.

"It gives Brad Haddin the chance for one game and I think that's a good thing for Australian cricket.

Waugh described Haddin as "cross between Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist" and said he was the natural successor to Gilchrist in the one-day game.

"He can play the shots that Adam Gilchrist plays and he's got that toughness about him that Ian Healy had. Potentially, he's an excellent player.

"He's only had a couple of seasons at domestic level but he looks like one of the those players destined for the next level."

The fact Australia can afford to rest the likes of Gilchrist and today's absentees - Brett Lee, Ian Harvey and Damien Martyn - and still win so convincingly was not lost on Zimbabwe skipper Heath Streak, who acknowledged Australia's depth was too much for his struggling team to overcome.

Australia was led tonight by Gilchrist's 63, Michael Bevan's 74 off 70 balls and a 100 run flurry off the last 10 overs, to which Darren Lehmann contributed 36 off 21 balls and Andrew Symonds 22 off 13.

Symonds and Bevan also shone with the ball as Australia's spin bowlers proved too elusive for the African batsmen.

Zimbabwe's chances of making the final will depend on their match against the West Indies in Perth next week - and how their net run rate is effected by the other two matches against Australia in Hobart and Perth.

© 2001 AAP


Teams Australia.
Players/Umpires Brad Haddin, Steve Waugh.
Tournaments Carlton Series