Rod Marsh says Brad Haddin dropped because of form

Selector Rod Marsh believes Brad Haddin's lean streak with the bat left Australia with no option but to leave him out of the third Ashes Test.

Haddin withdrew from the second match of the series at Lord's because of a family illness, with understudy Peter Nevill taking seven catches and making an impressive 45 on debut.

Haddin, having played as a batsman in the tour match against Derbyshire, declared himself available at Edgbaston but Nevill was retained ahead of the experienced 37-year-old.

That drew criticism from a variety of former internationals, including Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Ian Healy and Shane Warne. But Marsh - who made the decision alongside coach Darren Lehmann - is convinced there was only one call to make.

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"Amazingly hard call, but we have to try to do the best thing for the country and the selection panel believe that was the best thing for the team, for the country," said Marsh, who donned the gloves in 96 Tests.

"He (Haddin) is a fantastic player with a fantastic attitude but he's averaging 15 in his last 12 Test matches.

"He didn't keep well - and he'll admit that - at Cardiff and the new boy did very, very well at Lord's, so in my way of thinking, we didn't have an option.

"We decided that Nevill had such a good game at Lord's, the team played that well, won by 405 runs. It's very hard to change a winning side."

Sky Sports commentator and Australian bowling great Shane Warne said: "The Australia team ethos is 'family comes first, no matter what'. Brad Haddin misses a match because of some pretty personal stuff with his family. Misses the second Test at Lord’s. And probably just expected to come back for the third Test. Then finds himself left out.

“I just don’t think that’s right, and it doesn’t send a good message to other players who might have some serious personal issues.

"They miss a match because they have to attend to some serious issues with their family…the person that replaces them does well…they are going to lose their spot.”

"I really feel for Brad Haddin."

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