"I will stab you" - Former Australian keeper-batter recalls heated confrontation with Sulieman Benn
Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Brad Haddin has opened up on an ugly confrontation with ex-West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn at the WACA during the 2009-10 summer. Haddin stated that Benn wasn't used to taking any sledging in return.
Speaking on Triple M while commentating during the Australia-West Indies Test on Sunday, December 4, the former right-handed batter revealed that Benn threatened to stab them after he collided with non-striker Mitchell Johnson while fielding.
Haddin said:
"He used to want to sledge us but he didn’t really want us to hear which wasn’t a great character trait. But then he said something really weird, we were about to head to the T20 World Cup and he said ‘You two won’t get out alive in Barbados, I will stab you’ and I said ‘beg your pardon’ and that then is when it got misty and I don’t really know what happened after that."
The 45-year-old recalled warning the left-arm spinner of such actions, saying:
"You’re sticking up for your mate, we’ve always been close Jonno and I so I’ve just gone in and pointed the bat and said ‘this is on now, you can’t say things like that."
Haddin and Johnson were fined 25 percent fine of their match fees by match referee Chris Broad after pleading guilty to a Level 1 Code of Conduct breach. Benn, meanwhile, was suspended for two ODIs.
Australia won the close encounter at the WACA
The Aussies managed to eke out a 35-run victory over the West Indies in Perth to win the three-match series by a 2-0 margin. Chasing 359 for victory, the tourists got off to a decent start.
A significant 128-run partnership between Narsingh Deonarine and Brendan Nash kept them in the game after losing some quick wickets.
However, the hosts kept chipping away, with Johnson and Doug Bollinger taking three wickets each.