Pressure on BRAD Haddin

BRAD HADDIN has a chance today to atone for the dropped catch that intensified the glare on Australia's fledgling gloveman, who has struggled to settle in since the retirement of the peerless Adam Gilchrist.

The transition to Test cricket has proven rocky for the man with the unenviable task of inheriting Gilchrist's position in the national team after several years on the fringes, and the pressure has been compounded in his first Test in Australia with a batting failure and a bad moment with the gloves.

Haddin launched himself in front of Matthew Hayden at first slip and spilled a thick edge from Jesse Ryder, continuing a tough initiation that has included a broken finger, difficult conditions in India where he emerged from the Bangalore Test with bruises on his chest and more byes in a match than any other Australian keeper.

He has a chance for a breakthrough innings with the first Test against New Zealand in the balance in Brisbane, where he will resume on six not out alongside Simon Katich this morning.