We will do everything to defend Ashes, says Brad Haddin

We will do everything to defend Ashes, says Brad Haddin: Australia’s Brad Haddin is upbeat, raring to go and has crystal clearly put forth that Australia will do everything possible to brush aside the tough English challenge.

Haddin was quoted saying: “We are not New Zealand, “We won the World Cup final. We will play the way we play, which works for us, and if you like it, you like it.”

The Australian wicketkeeper-batsman’s seemingly boastful remarks seems directed at James Anderson, who had earlier told Sky Sports News that he hoped the Ashes would be played in the same spirit as the two-Test series against New Zealand.

However, Haddin had made it clear that he wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type when he told the Triple M radio station after the World Cup celebrations that New Zealand deserved the sendoffs for being “too nice”, and it appears he’s sticking to his stance.

“We will play the style of cricket that works for us,” Haddin insisted. “We have a couple of guys who bowl at over 150km/h, so there are going to be times when it is uncomfortable out there.

“It is a lot easier to face 150 ks when they (the bowlers) are smiling at you. It does not mean everyone is sledging or going across the line. These guys bowl fast and their job is to intimidate and get the upper hand for us.

“We come with the urn and England have to get it back off us, but it does not matter where you are placed, once you get a team on their own turf and with the hype all around it, things are different. You throw everything out the window and go for it.”
Haddin has retired from One-Day Internationals, but is willing to give it all in the imminent Ashes.

“Everything I have done over the last couple of months is making sure I am up for this series and if I wasn’t getting better, I would have retired,” he said. “But I am still challenging myself to be the best cricketer I can and I have got improvement in my game, which has been happening over the past few months. I can’t wait.

“This is the most exciting cricket you will play and it brings out the best in some of us and the worst in others. You do things in these series people don’t expect to happen. From an Australian point of view, the Ashes brings something out in us and I think it is the same for the English.”

The first Ashes Test in Cardiff starts on July 8.

Also Read – Everything you need to know about the Ashes- A quick preview of the Ashes 2015