Adelaide Exile brings me tidings of great joy. Matthew Hayden, the bully himself, will announce his retirement from test cricket later today.
I would see it will be a shame to see the back of a giant of the game, but I’d be lying through my teeth. Vic Marks had it spot on with this bloke. Loved by his own, loathed by the rest, His quote last year about Australians being taught to win ethically won my statement of the year hands down.
My over-riding memories of Hayden will be as follows:
The hollow 380 against Zimbabwe. World record it may have been, but Lord, what a bunch of muppets to do it against. I’m glad Lara took it back.
The 197 at Brisbane that ruined the first day of overseas cricket I’d attended. He was brutal that day.
The career before Ashes ton at The Oval in 2005. He was in dire form, had been found out when over-aggressive and his place was in jeopardy. He went off in bad light in an innings that spanned three days play. Australia, and he, got what they deserved.
Attached below are a couple of my favourite Hayden pictures.
Ha Ha Ha. Bowled Hoggard at Lord’s. Nice one!
Ponting looks like he should be saying “took your time, mate”.
Familiar pose in that knock….
Glad to see the back of him….
More on Hayden tomorrow….
Was going to text you but decided even this great news should not interfere with sleep.
At 1:30am GMT the hypocritical flat track bully retired with comments such as, “this was entirely my decision”. So, nothing to do with being dropped then Matthew.
By: Adelaide Exile on January 13, 2009
at 8:12 am
A brilliant player. Test average of over 50. Wisden cricketer of the year. Double World Cup winner. And serial whiner-basher. Top top man.
By: Zeitkratzer Stockhausen on January 13, 2009
at 2:16 pm
There’s not enough in this article but how good KP is. I’m going back to 7 and 7/8s to read about events in SE14.
By: Zeitkratzer Stockhausen on January 13, 2009
at 2:25 pm
In the age of big bats, flat decks, and milking your average against the chumps of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh (neither of whom, for instance, KP has faced in his current 50+ average; your qualification for a great player is noted) he was worryingly ineffective when Australia were. He had a horror in 2005, and his last two series when under the pump were disasters too.
If you discount his big scores against the Zims and Banglas, the average drops below 49. The fact is that when he was bolstered by the immense strength of the Australian line-up he was a mighty force. When it weakened, he did.
I respect his talent, but not a lot else. He was a winner, but when the team needed him to be Ponting’s senior pro he fell apart. Speaks volumes.
By: Dmitri Old on January 13, 2009
at 11:37 pm
Pish. Utter pish. You don’t like him but you “respect his talent” and “he was a winner”. What feckin more do you want ? If he was a leader you’d say you didn’t like his hair. If he had hair you wouldn’t like his shoes. How well has your own wunderkind done at the other bits ? He’s too much of a nancy to even field in the slips.
I don’t feel in a position to give you cricketing homilies but an average of 50 as an opener and average of 50 on an “I’ll come in when I jolly want to” basis is not exactly an even comparison. If RunsFromQuotas (see your points on backbone see Hayden) achieves half as much in the game you might have a point.
By: Zeitkratzer Stockhausen on January 14, 2009
at 5:17 pm
Achieves half as much – well, given Australia have had Ponting at three and we have Ian Bell, one would say that there are differences in the calibre of the two teams.
And looking at their current records, and I’ll include the bargain bucket stuff against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh -
Hayden 103 tests, 8625 runs, 30 tons, Average 50.7
KP 45 tests, 4025 runs, 15 tons, Average 50.5
Or do you mean ODIs?
Hayden 161 matches, 6133 runs, 10 tons, Average 43.8
KP 87 matches, 3047 runs, 7 tons, Average 48.4
I’d say, as Bon Jovi would, that he’s half way there (or more so in terms on tons at ODI level)… or does he need other great players around him to achieve the things you want him to? Hardly his fault we keep picking Bell et al….
I respect Cristiano Ronaldo’s talent, and he is a winner, but do I like him? Like hell. He plays for a team I hate. So what’s your point?
By: Dmitri Old on January 14, 2009
at 5:36 pm
A fellow admirer on another board nails it..
There is NO comparison between Ponting and Warne, and Hayden in my mind.
I would have been delighted if either of the first two were English. I would be equally delighted had either played for Surrey. Both are outstanding cricketers whose moved the game on, had strength in adversity and I would pay to watch. It’s true that Ponting isn’t the greatest captain, but he didn’t need to me. It’s true that Warne was great at manipulating mediocre umpires. He didn’t get too much out of Shep and Bucknor I notice.
Hayden is a hyprocrite who preached his Christianity one minute and layed into debutant tailenders the next. He was a bully who was happy to dish it out, but couldn’t take it. He was also unbelievably selfish – if I had been an Aussie when he took 300 balls (and the light several times) to compile a ton at the Oval to save his career when they needed to win the game I would have been spitting.
And it wasn’t me who wrote that….
By: Dmitri Old on January 14, 2009
at 5:44 pm