Brad Haddin has rubbished suggestions from ex-England captain Mike Atherton that Ben Stokes intimidated the hard-nosed Aussie keeper in the all-rounder’s debut Ashes series in 2013. 

Atherton claimed in a column for The Times that Stokes forced Haddin into a rare backdown during an on-field confrontation during England’s tour Down Under more than a decade ago.

The current England captain is in the midst of his 100th Test, the third match of the series in India, was supposedly menacing enough to force Haddin to stop sledging him during a tour when he announced himself as a star of the future with a century despite Australia’s 5-0 dominance.

Atherton wrote: “I wouldn’t get yourself much further into this one with him, mate,” Haddin was warned by James Anderson in Adelaide, “he doesn’t quite know the difference between on and off the pitch, if you know what I mean.” 

“Nutter,” said Matt Prior to Haddin, nodding in Stokes’s direction. Haddin did not utter a word after that. Immediately, Australia’s players knew they were dealing with a character to be reckoned with, and in Perth, after a brilliant hundred, they knew they were dealing with a cricketer to be reckoned with.”

However, Haddin has hit back at Atherton’s version of events on his Willow Talk podcast.

“My response is I’ve never heard more crap in my life. What, we were meant to be intimidated by Ben Stokes?” he asked.

“I’ll tell you what did happen. There was a confrontation mid-wicket and we started it. He nicked me off for 50 (but the umpire called) no-ball. 

“So I’ve walked back in and as I’ve walked past Ben Stokes I congratulated him on his first Test wicket. So I found my opening. He’s blown up and I’m going back at him. It was quite amusing.”