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Gilchrist puts baby first
Source: The Daily Telegraph - February 13, 2007
Brad Haddin's chances of today becoming Australia's World Cup bolter have soared with Adam Gilchrist set to take compassionate leave at the start of the tournament.
Gilchrist has been given permission to miss the team's departure to the West Indies so he can be with wife Mel at the birth of the couple's third child.
Australian coach John Buchanan effectively called for Haddin's inclusion yesterday.
"It is such an important tournament my leaning is to take a second keeper but he has to be able to do more than wicket-keeping," Buchanan said. "He needs top-seven batting potential. That is my personal leaning and I have expressed that to the selectors," Buchanan said.
Depending on the date of the birth, Gilchrist could miss Australia's warm-up matches against Zimbabwe on March 6 and England on March 9.
The selectors will not risk asking part-time gloveman Mike Hussey to stand in against the express pace of Brett Lee and perhaps Shaun Tait in those matches.
Hussey is one of Australia's most precious batting assets and selectors would not forgive themselves if he sustained a finger injury that threatened his tournament.
The bonus of picking seasoned Sydneysider Haddin, whose inclusion could cost all-rounder Cameron White a tour, is that he can double as a reserve batsman as well as the No. 2 keeper in the 15-man squad to be named today.
The squad is unlikely to contain major surprises with the closest call between Tait and Stuart Clark for the final pace place. Tait is just ahead entering this morning's final selection meeting.
Several English batsmen told their Australian rivals how relieved they were not to have faced Tait in the one-day finals.
Haddin has been the leading run-scorer in the Ford Ranger one-day Cup this summer with 406 runs at 67 and at a Gilchristesque strike rate of better than a run a ball.
In domestic cricket he has repeatedly proved himself a cool head in pressure situations and one of the best ball strikers in the land.
Australia are set to keep faith with all 11 players who lost the finals 2-0 to England.
Injured Andrew Symonds will be named and Glenn McGrath will be granted the farewell tour he craves.
- ROBERT CRADDOCK