Cricket Australia hire former wicket-keeper Brad Haddin as fielding coach until 2019

Reuters

Sydney: Former Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has joined the Australian team support staff as fielding coach until the end of 2019, Cricket Australia said Thursday.

Haddin replaces former Australia batsman Greg Blewett, who has taken up a position with the South Australian Cricket Association.

Haddin, 39, has coached the Australia A side and was an assistant coach during Australia’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year.

He also had a stint with Islamabad in the Pakistan Premier League.

His first assignment will be Australia’s two-Test tour to Bangladesh later this month.

"I grew up in an era of players like Andrew Symonds and Ricky Ponting who gave Australian cricket a real identity in the standards of world-class fielding," Haddin said in a statement.

"I want to hold this group accountable to that kind of standard and I believe we have the talent to do that and I am looking forward to the challenge."

Haddin played 66 Tests, taking 262 catches, and playing 126 one-day internationals, and 34 T20 Internationals for Australia before retiring in 2015.