The Great Matthew Hayden

[Mister Wright]

Matthew Hayden plays his 100th test this morning in Adelaide. Quite a fitting place for him to celebrate the milestone given it was the place he made his maiden century (albeit a fortuitous one).

Whatever has been said about Hayden on these forums he has been a wonderful player for Australia who has led from the top in an era when Australia dominated so amazingly. Hayden's record speaks for itself. He has the highest test and one day international scores for an Australian among many other records.

Probably Hayden's greatest achievement though, was his remarkable series in India in 2001 where he really announced himself as an international batsmen and cemented his place in the side.

Hayden's career is coming to a close and one can't help but think that he's trying to hang out until the Ashes series next year as his last series, where he has a few things to rectify on his career record in the Old Dart.

Congratulations to Hayden on his career. Have loved watching every one of his innings....

 

[PhoenixFire]

Can't stand the bloke, but there is no denying he is a pretty damn good opener, probably the best in the world ATM. Congrats.

 

[Uppercut]

Richard, on reading this thread.

 

[GIMH]

100 Tests, fair play mate.

 

[Richard]

Richard, on reading this thread.

Heheh, nah, have enough experience of ol' Kyley's Hayden (or, more accurately, every-Queenslander-ever-to-pick-up-a-bat-or-ball) love to be not remotely surprised.

Anyway well played to Hayden, I don't think he'd have had a cat-in-hell's chance of widespread success at most times in Test history but he's a damn good player for the circumstances we've seen since September 2001 and he's made a considerable contribution to Australia's hegemony in that time. He's also one of the best players of spin I've ever seen and if a pitch is not seaming and is turning he'd always be one of the first names on my teamsheet. His tour of India in 2000/01 is the best example of this.

He's only played 93 (after this upcoming game) matches which are genuine Tests mind, so I'll leave the congrats-on-100 for a little while. And of course only 71 (72 after this next one) have come after he started to be successful. That, though, is no different to most of recent times and most of all-time respectively. As I say, in his last 71 Tests he's done what Australia needed, which is mercilessly bash weak bowling on flat pitches. Small achievement though this may be to my mind, there's no disputing its worth to his team.

 

[Ikki]

Nah, Hayden is crap he wouldn't have scored runs in any other era...Nasser Hussain is much better.

 

[zaremba]

Heheh, nah, have enough experience of ol' Kyley's Hayden (or, more accurately, every-Queenslander-ever-to-pick-up-a-bat-or-ball) love to be not remotely surprised.

Anyway well played to Hayden, I don't think he'd have had a cat-in-hell's chance of widespread success at most times in Test history but he's a damn good player for the circumstances we've seen since September 2001 and he's made a considerable contribution to Australia's hedgemony in that time. He's also one of the best players of spin I've ever seen and if a pitch is not seaming and is turning he'd always be one of the first names on my teamsheet. His tour of India in 2000/01 is the best example of this.

He's only played 93 (after this upcoming game) matches which are genuine Tests mind, so I'll leave the congrats-on-100 for a little while. And of course only 71 (72 after this next one) have come after he started to be successful. That, though, is no different to most of recent times and most of all-time respectively. As I say, in his last 71 Tests he's done what Australia needed, which is mercilessly bash weak bowling on flat pitches. Small achievement though this may be to my mind, there's no disputing its worth to his team.

A topiarist's remuneration?

 

[PhoenixFire]

Nah, Hayden is crap he wouldn't have scored runs in any other era...Nasser Hussain is much better.

Honestly, do not start up that crap again or thread closed, which would be a shame because Hayden deserves the recognition. If you want to go and bore the living daylights out of everyone else, go do it somwhere else.

 

[Richard]

A topiarist's remuneration?

Rogue d.

 

[archie mac]

If you average over 50 in any era of Test cricket, then there is no doubt you would have been one of the top players in any era (well that is what I think any way)


Well done Matt the Bat

 

[Simon]

Haydos what a hero, who would have thought this in 1996, hope he tons up twice in this game the same as Punter did in his 100th test.

 

[silentstriker]

Think the guy is an absolute joke for a human being, but you can't deny his usefulness for Australia. Definitely has been instrumental in their dominance.

 

[zaremba]

I'm not a fan and never have been. But you have to give praise to anyone who's played a hundred Tests and averaged over 50. And it's always a particular delight / relief when he gets out because he's an extraordinarily dangerous player.

 

[pasag]

Champion cricketer, love him and may cry when he calls it quits.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Great player and people who would seek to deny this are missing something pretty fundamental about the sport.

Not my favourite batsman to watch, I've always prefer the rapier as wielded by yer Laras or yer Sachins to Hayden's bludgeon, but a wonderfully effective and destructive batsman when in full flow.

 

[Burgey]

Kudos to him on a wonderful career.

A player who turned around some serious limitations in his game from the early years to become a batsman feared by attacks the world over.

 

[four_or_six]

You get the feeling he got where he is by damned hard work, and I like that about him.

Also, one of the most successful batsmen of the 2000's without a doubt.

 

[krkode]

Used to like him a lot back in 2001 when he gave India a hard time in that series which is easily my favorite series of all time.

Thought it was a good gesture to name both him and Harbhajan man of the series, because he truly played his heart out then.

Also kudos to him on rising beyond the failures of his initial jab at international cricket to become one of the modern greats. Considering he made his debut long before he began to be considered "good" it was impressive of him to make it back into the side and grab his chance the way he did. Sort of like Ganguly.

Too bad he's a prick, though. Oh well, to be fallible is to be human.

 

[Jnr.]

Under appreciated cricketer - with his batting, presence and catching.

It seems that some people's perception of him as a person cloud their judgement of him as a cricketer, which is pretty sad.

I don't think he's a bad bloke. Away from the field, he appears to be an impressive man.

Hope I haven't put the mockers on him here.

 

[Johnners]

Never been a huge fan of the big Unit, but there's no doubting he has been a beast of a cricketer and played a fairly big role in Australias period of amazing dominance. 'Grats Haydos