Craig
World Traveller
Or even just as a great opener? Thought I would have some fun while Richard is on his enforced holiday, he'll do the rest when he comes back (that's for the future).
Currently he has 8242 runs at 53 with 30 tons and 27 half centuries, certainly you can't knock his conversion rate. I feel as though Hayden has certainly taken advantage of some of the flatter wickets and some of the lesser quality bowlers, but he has definitely played heaps of fine knocks and under pressure as well. His centuries in the India series, all were very important in their own way (like Australia getting a winning 1st innings in Melbourne, making a century which set the match up for Australia to win and in Adelaide where India had just got 526) and how vital him missing the Perth Test was as well. He has done well in turning himself from not so good against spin to one of the very best outside of Sub-Continent batsmen (although clearly Brian Lara is right up there) as shown in his run spree in India in 2001 and I won't forget his knock in Sharjah in 2002 where nobody should of been allowed to have played cricket in that heat (like if I were employer and I made you work outdoors in that heat, you wouldn't be running to the nearest Union or some Employment lawyer?).
True he struggled a bit by his standards in 2005 in England, but I don't think he was really out of form either, he didn't make the most of his starts, he did look like to me at the time to have gone to have gotten more if he hadn't got out. However, I still think he is troubled by top draw swing bowling or by left armers who can move the ball away from him as well. I'm not fan of his batting style, I would rather watch VVS Laxman or Brian Lara bat all day then Hayden, but I don't think you can he isn't a pretty good batsman. This thread is relating to Test cricket mainly, but we all know SRT >>>>>>> Hayden in ODI cricket.
So will he go down as an all-time great, a great or just a very good batsman
Currently he has 8242 runs at 53 with 30 tons and 27 half centuries, certainly you can't knock his conversion rate. I feel as though Hayden has certainly taken advantage of some of the flatter wickets and some of the lesser quality bowlers, but he has definitely played heaps of fine knocks and under pressure as well. His centuries in the India series, all were very important in their own way (like Australia getting a winning 1st innings in Melbourne, making a century which set the match up for Australia to win and in Adelaide where India had just got 526) and how vital him missing the Perth Test was as well. He has done well in turning himself from not so good against spin to one of the very best outside of Sub-Continent batsmen (although clearly Brian Lara is right up there) as shown in his run spree in India in 2001 and I won't forget his knock in Sharjah in 2002 where nobody should of been allowed to have played cricket in that heat (like if I were employer and I made you work outdoors in that heat, you wouldn't be running to the nearest Union or some Employment lawyer?).
True he struggled a bit by his standards in 2005 in England, but I don't think he was really out of form either, he didn't make the most of his starts, he did look like to me at the time to have gone to have gotten more if he hadn't got out. However, I still think he is troubled by top draw swing bowling or by left armers who can move the ball away from him as well. I'm not fan of his batting style, I would rather watch VVS Laxman or Brian Lara bat all day then Hayden, but I don't think you can he isn't a pretty good batsman. This thread is relating to Test cricket mainly, but we all know SRT >>>>>>> Hayden in ODI cricket.
So will he go down as an all-time great, a great or just a very good batsman