BRAD Haddin has, often unfairly, been compared with Adam Gilchrist ever since he succeeded the great wicketkeeper-batsman to the Australian Test spot.

Haddin’s keeping was questioned during the Australians’ tour of India and his batting was regarded as suspect. But yesterday at the Adelaide Oval, Haddin scored what is being described as a breakthrough century. It was Haddin’s first in nine Test matches and it was a superb 169 off 222 balls. The century has taken this second Test away from New Zealand and it has confirmed Haddin as the first-choice wicketkeeper for Australia. Haddin admitted after his innings yesterday that he had been through some serious soul searching since a difficult tour of India last month. “In India, at the back end of that tour, I started doubting myself a bit, putting too much pressure on myself,” he said. “But the bottom line was I was doing all the work and all the right things off the field so I just had to trust what I was doing off the field.’’ The 31-year-old also insisted he wanted to be his own man. “I can only trust whatever I do is going to be successful at Test cricket and not try to be anyone else. “I think it’s quite embarrassing, people keep mentioning Adam’s name because he’s been one of the greats of the game and I’ve played half a dozen Test matches.” At the close of play yesterday, New Zealand were 35 for no wicket in their second innings, still trailing Australia by 230 runs after the home side piled on 535 in their first innings. Alongside Haddin, Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke played a contrasting innings. He was disciplined in scoring 110 in five and a half hours as opposed to Haddin’s free scoring, but it provided good support for his team-mate. Haddin was ninth man out, caught in the deep after smashing 24 fours and two sixes as Gilchrist looked on admiringly from the media area.

Sports staff

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