Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will miss the second Ashes Test against England at Lord’s starting on Thursday for “family reasons”, team management announced Tuesday.
His place in the side will be taken by reserve gloveman Peter Nevill, also Haddin’s New South Wales deputy, who will be making his international debut.
“I can confirm that Brad Haddin has withdrawn himself from the second Test at Lord’s for family reasons,” said an Australia team spokeswoman.
“He will remain with the team in London and we won’t be making any further comment.
“Peter Nevill will replace him in the side.”
The 37-year-old Haddin took little part in Australia’s training session at Lord’s on Tuesday.
His decision to withdraw from the second Test is not the first time Haddin has put his family ahead of his cricket career.
In 2012, Haddin took nearly a year out of the game after his then 17-month-old daughter Mia was diagnosed with neuroblastoma — a rare form of cancer that attacks children aged five years or younger.
As his daughter’s condition improved, Haddin returned to international cricket during Australia’s losing 2013 Ashes tour of England.
Meanwhile the 29-year-old Nevill faces the prospect of making his Test debut at Lord’s.
All the history associated with the ‘home of cricket’ can either inspire or over-awe players.
But for wicket-keepers there is a more practical problem because of the way the ball can deviate alarmingly at Lord’s after passing the bat.
Haddin was not at his best during England’s 169-run win in the first Test, dropping Joe Root on nought before the Yorkshireman made 134.
The Australia wicket-keeper had an outstanding series during a 5-0 Ashes rout of England in 2013/14, with five fifties — including a top score of 118.
Before Haddin’s absence from the match was confirmed, Australia fast-medium bowler Peter Siddle said Tuesday that Nevill would be ready to take his Test chance if selected at Lord’s.
“He’s played well in the opportunities he’s had,” Siddle said of Nevill. “His record back home speaks for itself.
“He’s had a couple of great years in first-class cricket,” Siddle also told a news conference at Lord’s.
“I played a lot with him as a youngster, being a Victorian boy. He moved away (to New South Wales) to get an opportunity and he obviously has taken that.
“No doubt if it’s this Test or down in the future, he gets his opportunity, I’ve got no doubt he will be ready to go,” he added.
Nevill, 29, has a first-class batting average in excess of 44.“I can always learn a lot from Hadds, but this tour I’ve got to prepare to play,” said Nevill before Australia’s warm-up match against Essex in Chelmsford.
“I need to be on top of my game and ready to go should that opportunity arise.”
Nevill also said he would call upon the vast knowledge of on-tour selector Rodney Marsh, one of Australia’s greatest wicket-keepers and someone who made his first Test tour of England 43 years ago.
“I’m sure he’s gong to have plenty of feedback for me,” Nevill said of Marsh. “He had a wonderful career as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Australia, so he’s definitely a great resource.
“I’ll be making sure I sidle up to him and have a good chat about those things,” he added.
