Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will lead New South Wales next summer, stepping in for Greg Shipperd after a bruising few months for the state side.
Shipperd was told in late January his contract would not be renewed, yet he stayed on until season’s end and guided the Blues to the One-Day Cup last week. Shield cricket, though, remains the barometer in Sydney. NSW ended fifth, drawing their final match when Western Australia survived nine down. The Shield has not headed to Moore Park since the Covid-interrupted 2019-20 campaign, and whispers about the once-mighty talent pipeline have grown louder.
Haddin, 46, wore the baggy blue for a dozen seasons and played 226 times for Australia across the three formats. He is currently an assistant with Punjab Kings in the IPL, having previously worked with the national men’s side and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He will link up with the Blues in June for pre-season.
“NSW cricket has been an integral part of my life and to rejoin the fold as Blues head coach is a proud moment for myself and my family,” Haddin said. “Wearing the baggy blue was incredibly special and gave me some of the greatest memories of my career.
“I am looking forward to working with our current crop of talented players to bring back an aura to NSW cricket and to have a team with a formidable, distinctive style of play we can all be proud of.”
NSW chief executive Lee Germon called the appointment a natural fit. “I am delighted to welcome Brad Haddin back to Cricket NSW to drive our Blues program forward and challenge for further titles. Brad is a highly regarded coach with experience at international and franchise level, plus a deep understanding of the NSW way of playing. This stems not only from his history with the Blues, but also his strong connections to country NSW and Premier Cricket,” he said.
“As a player, his outstanding leadership and willingness to always take the game on made him a revered teammate and formidable opponent. These traits have carried through into his coaching career. We are proud to have Brad guiding our Blues squad and look forward to working with him from June.”
Behind the scenes, change has arrived quickly. Long-time assistants Ali de Winter and Shawn Bradstreet were informed on Tuesday their contracts would not roll over. Former NSW spinner Steve O’Keefe, never shy with an opinion, criticised the timing.
“They’ve had a meeting in the morning, grabbed two of the assistant Blues coaches and said, ‘Your services are no longer required’,” O’Keefe told SEN radio. “Brad had an amazing playing career, and if he can turn that into a great coaching career, he’s going to be a fantastic coach. There’s some great young coaches involved but to get rid of the likes of Shawn Bradstreet [and] Ali de Winter, who are just great servants of Cricket NSW, and do it in that fashion is absolutely brutal and extremely disappointing.”
Haddin will not double up in the BBL. Both Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder remain without head coaches after Shipperd’s departure from the Sixers and Trevor Bayliss’ exit from the Thunder, yet Cricket NSW has confirmed Haddin’s brief is strictly the first-class squad.
In practical terms, his first months will involve list management, finalising a support staff and plotting the return of the Blues’ bowling bite—only two sides took fewer Shield wickets this season. The raw material is there: Sean Abbott and Jackson Bird still swing it, while youngsters Jack Nisbet and Ryan Hadley have shown glimpses. Whether Haddin can mould that group, revive the talent stream and keep a restless supporter base happy will define his opening year.
For now, the state has turned to one of its own, banking on the energy he once brought behind the stumps to spark a fresh era.
