Black Caps batsman Neil Broom hasn't spoken with former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin since the day the wicketkeeper controversially dismissed him - bowled.

It's safe to assume Neil Broom thought he'd never cross paths with Brad Haddin in a cricket international again.

For two men whose names are inextricably linked in trans-Tasman cricket history, the pair haven't exchanged a word since that day.

Next week marks eight years since Australia's wicketkeeper booked his spot in the hall of New Zealand sporting villainy when Broom was bowled by Michael Clarke in Perth thanks to Haddin's gloves clouting the bails.

CAMERON SPENCER/GETTY IMAGES Brad Haddin removes the bails legitimately for Sydney Sixers, but New Zealand fans will recall his role in Neil Broom's dismissal in the Perth ODI in 2009.

Square leg umpire Bruce Oxenford somehow missed it, Broom wandered off bemused and the incident fired up captains Daniel Vettori and Ricky Ponting who held opposing views on Haddin's sportsmanship and whether he should have called the batsman back.

READ MORE:

* McCullum's Big Bash ends in defeat

* KP ban call over live on-air criticism

* Knee injury sidelines BJ Watling

* Sri Lanka claim maiden series win in SA

The two main protagonists will cross paths again in Auckland at some stage of Monday's first Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day international: Broom in potentially his first ODI against Australia since March 2010, and Haddin in the opposing dressing room on their coaching staff. He flies in on Sunday, having been granted leave to play for the Sydney Sixers in Saturday's Big Bash final.

Not that Broom's been counting the days for a reunion.

"I didn't realise that. Hopefully I can catch up with him for a yarn," said Broom, rarely short of a dry one-liner.



Ricky Ponting Daniel Vettori disagreed over Brad Haddin's sportsmanship. Photo: Reuters

Perth in February 2009 was Broom's third ODI, and he scored 29 before Haddin's intervention in an incident better remembered than New Zealand's two-wicket win off the last ball, with Vettori and Jeetan Patel at the crease chasing just 182.

"I felt I was going along quite nicely and then to get bowled like that… I didn't really know what was going on at the time. I didn't hear that death rattle," Broom said.

"I'm over that now. It's quite nice to be part of New Zealand cricket folklore so I'll take it."

At the time Haddin was defiant, saying he was "100 per cent positive" the ball hit the bails first then his gloves. Replays suggested otherwise. Broom said Haddin never attempted to clear the air, nor did he expect the combative gloveman to.

"No, I never spoke to him afterwards. I didn't have too many qualms about it, really. It was all part of the game, just one of those incidents when you're out there in an ODI, it just happens. You probably regret it in the end, but no qualms at all."



Brad Haddin and co give Grant Elliott a send-off in the 2015 CWC. Photo: Getty Images

Australia featured prominently in phase one of Broom's international career. Nine of his first 22 ODIs were trans-Tasman ones - he helped Grant Elliott guide home a memorable chase in Melbourne after that Perth match - before his nearly seven-year international hiatus from March 2010 till the Boxing Day ODI against Bangladesh.

He recalls with a chuckle a first-ball duck in his last Eden Park innings against Australia in 2010. "Then I had to go back out and run for James Franklin. It was an interesting day."

That was so long ago the Auckland pitch faced in a different direction. The previous match in that 2010 series, Scott Styris and Mitchell Johnson had their memorable mid-pitch stoush in Napier as Styris guided home New Zealand's run chase.

"It feels like it's about 20 years ago now. I don't remember too much; they're both competitors and they just clashed heads out there, it was quite good viewing. Hopefully this series is just as fiery," Broom said.



Tense looks between Scott Styris and Mitchell Johnson in 2010. Photo: Fairfax NZ

Not that Broom ever thought he'd be butting heads, so to speak, with Australia again. As recently as six months ago the gifted batsman was completing year one of his two-year county contract with Derbyshire and returned to Otago as an overseas player, before the national selectors came calling.

It could have turned ugly but Broom extricated himself from year two of the deal, and insists Derbyshire were supportive. The club even sent a message of congratulations after his stunning return to New Zealand colours.

At age 33 he showed he was batting as well as ever, following up a scratchy 22 in Christchurch with a Nelson double of 109 not out and 97 against Bangladesh. He could hardly be ignored for Australia, even with Ross Taylor returning to No 4 which leaves Broom now having to joust with Colin Munro and Jimmy Neesham for the No 5 spot.

His only hiccup was a broken index finger and tendon damage suffered in the first T20 against Bangladesh, which saw him restricted to batting in the nets for a week till Wednesday when he returned to score two for Otago in their loss to Northern Districts.

"It's always nice going back in and performing straight away. I was happy with what I did there [against Bangladesh]. It's a very easy team to slide into and just play your own game. There's not too many egos in there; just a good environment to play cricket in.

"I was just a local Englishman and thinking I'd be plying my trade in England for the next 3-4 years. To hopefully be playing against Australia at Eden Park is pretty surreal. I didn't think I'd be here. To perform against these guys will be massive in my career."