The former Test gloveman was back to his best in a rare appearance in the Toyota Futures League
Haddin belts Futures League ton for ACT
Former Australia Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has made an emphatic return to red-ball cricket, striking a blistering hundred in the Toyota Futures League for the Australian Capital Territory.
Batting at No.5, Haddin belted 17 boundaries, including three sixes, in his quick-fire knock and eventually departed for a run-a-ball 114 against South Australia at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
Quick Single: Clarke weighs in on first Test XI
The 38-year-old’s innings helped the ACT to 277 on day one of their four-day clash with the Redbacks.
In the lead-up to the match, ACT captain John Rogers admitted the young Comets players, two of whom hadn’t been born when Haddin made his ACT debut in 1995, would benefit enormously from the 66-Test veteran’s presence.
— Adam Morehouse (@ACTCricketStats) October 13, 2016
"You'd kill to play your first game of Futures League with an ex-Test player," Rogers told the Canberra Times.
"I've been lucky enough to play with quite a few legends of the game and the experience is always memorable. I'm looking forward to it."
It’s the second time in as many years that the Redbacks have been at Haddin’s mercy in the Futures League.
Quick Single: WA snatch win in 15-over thriller
The Queanbeyan-product smashed 104 off 100 balls against the South Australians last summer as he made his first appearance for the ACT in more than 15 years to prepare for the KFC Big Bash League.
While he still plays for the Sydney Sixers in the BBL, Haddin retired from international cricket after losing his Test spot to Peter Nevill during last year’s Ashes series.
In other action from the opening day of the 2016-17 Futures League, former Australia one-day player Peter Forrest crashed a century of his own for Queensland against Tasmania in Hobart.
Forrest (125 off 228 balls) and young batsman Sam Truloff (115 off 168) shared in a 231-run third-wicket partnership as the Bulls finished the day on 4-338.
And at Melbourne’s Casey Fields, Western Australia’s Jonathan Wells dominated the Victorian bowling-attack with a commanding 153 to help the Warriors to 5-367 at the close.