Coach Darren Lehmann has lashed reports he disregarded Cricket Australia’s family-first approach by not selecting Brad Haddin in the third Ashes Test.

Lehmann described the tough call on Haddin, which effectively ended the 37-year-old’s international career, as the hardest cricket decision he’d had to make.

Haddin was set to play the second Test, but withdrew for family reasons.

• ‘Putting family first’ cost Haddin his spot: Ponting
• Bittersweet Test debut for keeper Peter Nevill
• Haddin set to miss Lord’s Test for personal reasons

The 37-year-old missed the game to spend time with his sick daughter in a London hospital.

Peter Nevill scored 45 and snared seven catches at Lord’s, convincing selectors Rod Marsh and Lehmann he should stay in the XI ahead of an out-of-sorts Haddin.

Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Ian Healy were highly critical of the decision.

“The cold hard facts are he’s played the last 12 Test matches and made 250 runs at 15, with 16 bowleds out of 21,” Lehmann said.

“I know there’s been a big hoo-ha about ‘family first’ – well, we still have that.

“There’s been a very unbalanced view from a lot of people about it. We certainly care about Brad and his family.”

Nevill scored a polished 59 at Edgbaston, showing the sort of patience that his top-order colleagues couldn’t as England cruised to an eight-wicket win.

Yet, there were reports during the match the 17-man Ashes squad remained deeply discontented about Haddin’s snubbing.

“We’re really close as a group. We’ve talked about it openly,” Lehmann said, noting there were no guarantees for players who missed games for family reasons.

“That would be the hardest decision I’ve had to make as a coach, or even as a player.

“We all love ‘Hadds’. The players love ‘Hadds’.

“He’s a ripper bloke – one of the best blokes I’ve ever coached, brilliant person, great family.

“Everyone’s going to have different emotions with it but that’s part of professional sport and we try and deal with it as best as we possibly can.”

Lehmann also said captain Michael Clarke would be given time to rediscover his form.

The 34-year-old is struggling for runs but when asked how long Clarke had to find form, the coach said: “As long as he needs, he’s captain. He’s got to play well.

“He’s a guy that is like all the other batters. It’s not just Michael – it’s our top six.

“Apart from Chris Rogers in the first innings and David Warner in the second, they all struggled (at Edgbaston).

“We’re not going to panic, that’s for sure.”

England have kept faith with opener Adam Lyth for the fourth Test, naming him in a 14-man squad that is without spearhead Jimmy Anderson due to a side strain.

One of Liam Plunkett and Mark Footitt, who were both included in the squad, could replace Anderson.

England 14-man squad for fourth Test: Alastair Cook (capt), Adam Lyth, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, Steve Finn, Liam Plunkett, Mark Footitt, Adil Rashid.

– AAP