Australia’s Test series went from bad to worse with the loss of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to a shoulder injury on the second morning in Abu Dhabi. Haddin dived for a catch when Younis Khan edged Peter Siddle in the sixth over of the day and the ball fell short of his right glove, but in the diving process he landed awkwardly on his right shoulder.
Haddin immediately clutched the shoulder when he got up and after treatment from team doctor Peter Brukner and physio Alex Kountouris, he remained on the field and kept wickets for another 15 deliveries. However, Haddin was clearly hampered and was reluctant even to under-arm the ball with his right hand, instead using his left.
He left the field at the end of the 96th over, holding his shoulder, and David Warner took over behind the stumps. It did not take long for the loss of the wicketkeeper to cost Australia; from the seventh ball with Warner behind the stumps, he missed a stumping when Nathan Lyon got one to turn sharply and beat Younis, who by then had 125.
But in the next over, Warner thrilled his team-mates by taking an excellent leg-side catch off the bowling of Mitchell Starc to remove Azhar Ali for 109. Australia do not have a backup wicketkeeper in their squad and although reserve batsman Phillip Hughes has kept wickets before, the laws of the game state that a substitute fielder may not act as wicketkeeper in any circumstance.
It was not immediately known how serious Haddin’s injury was but it had also the potential to hurt Australia during their batting innings, if his range of movement was restricted. However, there are no restrictions on when Haddin can bat, as the injury is considered an external blow.
Having had treatment including ice on his shoulder, Haddin returned to the field after lunch and resumed his place behind the stumps. However, he still appeared to be favouring his right shoulder, holding it close to his body between deliveries and overs, and preferred using his left to under-arm the ball to the fielders.