Matthew Hayden Retires - Tribute Thread ***Breaking News***

[pasag]

All time great player, really, really sad at the moment. Such a champion.

 

[Mister Wright]

It's the right decision for me, time and tide and all that. Maybe a year too late in retrospect, but it's easy to be wise after the event.

Great player. Not my favourite to watch, but brutally effective.

Thank God it wasn't 2 years ago, as we wouldn't have seen him go guns in the WC and get two more centuries in Melbourne and Sydney last season.

 

[Joe Ninety]

And the Australian team loses another one hundred Tests of experience. Hopefully Matt can do an Allan Border, and guide the mighty Queensland Bulls to another Sheffield Shield title.

Always a favourite of mine.

"Give Matt a Bat"

 

[Johnners]

Never been a big fan of Haydos, but there's no denying he's been a brilliant opener for Australia, and played a huge role in their dominance over the past decade or so. 'played Haydos (y)

 

[NZTailender]

Have never liked him as a person or a player, but I can recognise all that he's achieved and well done to him. He certainly forged a great career after being dropped early on.
I think that's something than can separate the great players from the good, in being able to come back so strong and so well after early setbacks.

Well done Haydos

 

[Jono]

Didn't like the guy, but he was an absolute machine at making runs. Tremendous opener, and one of the best batsman I've ever seen live.

His knock vs. India (hell his whole series really) at the MCG in 2007/08 was amazing as he kept battering away despite wickets falling.

 

[Jono]

It's the right decision for me, time and tide and all that. Maybe a year too late in retrospect, but it's easy to be wise after the event.

Great player. Not my favourite to watch, but brutally effective.

Thank God it wasn't 2 years ago, as we wouldn't have seen him go guns in the WC and get two more centuries in Melbourne and Sydney last season.

Yeah, a year ago Hayden was Australia's best batsman, and unstoppable scoring 3 test centuries out of the 3 tests he played vs. India in a competitive series nonetheless. Australia lost the one test he didn't play.

Hayden's retirement would have been better placed at Sydney, but until his failings vs. NZ I wasn't convinced he was done. In India he was coming back from injury, received a few tough calls and received some very good bowling. But its not how many runs he was getting, but the way he was batting when he returned to Australia that made it obvious he was gone IMO.

 

[duffer]

Didn't like the guy, but he was an absolute machine at making runs. Tremendous opener, and one of the best batsman I've ever seen live.

His knock vs. India (hell his whole series really) at the MCG in 2007/08 was amazing as he kept battering away despite wickets falling.

This.

Was an India killer which made me dislike the bloke even more.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, a year ago Hayden was Australia's best batsman, and unstoppable scoring 3 test centuries out of the 3 tests he played vs. India in a competitive series nonetheless. Australia lost the one test he didn't play.

That was exactly my point, it would've been perfect to go out at the summit. Obviously the temptation when playing well is to go on, so I guess knowing when to take that final bow is a skill in itself. McGrath quit as the leading wicket taker in the world cup, which was entirely befitting such a champion player. Hayden's last year looks a rather sad coda to a magnificent career.

Always leave 'em wanting more, as the old showbiz adage would have it.

 

[Jono]

Fair enough, but I think that romanticism of retirement sometimes covers the main reason why one plays cricket (or should)... because they enjoy the game.

I assume Hayden, after receiving his heel injury, wanted to return to the team because he enjoy playing for Australia, enjoyed being in the dressing room with his mates, enjoyed being a dickhead to the opposition etc.

It was the selectors job to drop him really. The old "retire on top" only works when you know you've done it all and don't have much left.

Clearly after scoring 3 tons out of 3 test matches, Hayden thought he had more left in the tank and could have still been good enough to play in the Ashes... and wanted to play in the Ashes.

McGrath had clearly lost a bit, and that was obvious, and whilst Warne was still brilliant, they both didn't want to play on for various reasons. McGrath family related, Warne that and a host of other reasons too.

I know its the age old argument here, whether a play "should" retire at a certain time. I think a player's legacy is their own business really, and if they aren't good enough anymore, the selectors should tell them they will be dropped, and then they can decide if they want to retire, or fight back into the team ala Sourav Ganguly.

 

[Smudge]

Don't like him, won't miss him. All players have to retire sometime.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

How untidy to play half of a two-legged series and not the other half.

Hahaha, criticising the timing of his retirement. You're a joke.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Great man, very sad to see him go despite his troubles and my general disdain for him. Kudos, Haydos.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Fair enough, but I think that romanticism of retirement sometimes covers the main reason why one plays cricket (or should)... because they enjoy the game.

I assume Hayden, after receiving his heel injury, wanted to return to the team because he enjoy playing for Australia, enjoyed being in the dressing room with his mates, enjoyed being a dickhead to the opposition etc.

It was the selectors job to drop him really. The old "retire on top" only works when you know you've done it all and don't have much left.

Clearly after scoring 3 tons out of 3 test matches, Hayden thought he had more left in the tank and could have still been good enough to play in the Ashes... and wanted to play in the Ashes.

McGrath had clearly lost a bit, and that was obvious, and whilst Warne was still brilliant, they both didn't want to play on for various reasons. McGrath family related, Warne that and a host of other reasons too.

I know its the age old argument here, whether a play "should" retire at a certain time. I think a player's legacy is their own business really, and if they aren't good enough anymore, the selectors should tell them they will be dropped, and then they can decide if they want to retire, or fight back into the team ala Sourav Ganguly.

Yeah, that's perfectly fair. I'd never knock a bloke for wanting to play on when he's possibly slightly past his best and with Hayden I've always guessed his huge self-belief was a big part of what made him the player he was.

I actually reckon deep down the big fella probably reckons he could still do the job better than anyone too; this strikes me as one of those "retire or be retired" dealys.

There's just a part of me that thinks champion players should go out in a manner befitting their career and two scratchy 30s wasn't for Hayden. But then, Bradman, etc, etc...

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Happy to see him retire, because I don't think he's good enough any more. Saved the selectors a tough decision.

Fine player and, from all accounts, a fine bloke. Best opener of the last decade for mine - champion. Will be difficult to replace.

 

[Days of Grace]

Is Hayden the best Australian post-war opener?

Only Morris and Simpson would challenge him, tbh.

 

[AlanJLegend]

This is pretty sad, although it's definitely for the best. Haydos can move on and spend more time with family, and now Jaques/Hughes/Rogers can have a crack at the big time.

Do we know if he is still going to play for Queensland or in the IPL, or is he gone altogether?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

One of Australia's best ever openers, and a key component of the team that dominated the first half of this decade, both through his style of play and his success.

Lots of fine moments, but the point in his career that stands out for me as most representative of his character was the 2007 WC and the leadup to it, where he was almost dropped from the ODI team, scored a century against New Zealand in the CB series at home and then went on a streak of ODI form few players could match, ending up with top run scorer in the WC.

Typical of a guy who clung to his place in the side for dear life and never gave up.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

scored a century against New Zealand in the CB series

Was seriously the worst innings I've ever watched, FTR.

What a man.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Was seriously the worst innings I've ever watched, FTR.

What a man.

Yeah it was horrible, the guy was playing like ****.

A few weeks later in New Zealand he made that 170 odd which was absolutely amazing, then went to the WC and dominated.