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

[pup11]

So basically you disagreed with howardj's statement, and followed it up by saying exactly what he said.

Lol, i still haven't woken up properly...

 

[Chimpdaddy]

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.

Wow, couldn't have summed it up better myself. Sad ending unbefitting to the great mark he left on cricket. One of Australia's greatest openers. I will remember the times where it was almost common practice for him and Langer to both score centuries in the 1st innings.

I suppose the guy wanted to go on (showing no signs of wanting to leave the game after Sydney), but after being dropped, he probably figured his time was up.

-Chimpdaddy-

 

[Simon]

Bit of a shame he isnt going to play for Queensland anymore too, I think it could have been a good thing for the young batsmen up there to get a chance to learn from him and it's not like he'd be taking the place of a talented youngster or anything.

 

[_Ed_]

Absolutely outstanding player. I'll remember being at the ground for that 181 against us for the rest of my life.

Was hoping he'd stay for a bit longer, a player of his quality deserves to go out on a better note.

 

[howardj]

Leaving aside the arrogance and the bully part of him, he truly is one of the most inspirational stories in sport in last 20 years or so. The mental toughness and the optimism he showed coming back from his annus horribilus (1997) was extraordinary. He was a figure of ridicule in some circles, particularly when, playing for Hampshire, he was dismissed without offering, against the Australians on the Ashes Tour (exactly the way he got out to Ambrose and Schulz early doors in his Test career).

That there was such a gap between his FC record and his Test record made him a sitting duck for critics.

 

[pup11]

Five of the best

Cricinfo staff

November 27, 2008

119 v India, 1st Test, Mumbai, 2001
This is the innings that put Hayden on the road to greatness. After battling in 13 Tests over seven years, he arrived in India well prepared and quickly started to dominate the attack. Australia were 5 for 99 when Hayden and Gilchrist combined for a 197-run stand that set up the 10-wicket win. Hayden's sweeping on the tour was his trademark and his power was incredible - almost 80% of his runs came in boundaries in this display. He would finish the three-match tour with his first double-century and 549 runs for the series.

197 & 103 v England, 1st Test, Brisbane, 2002-03
It wasn't long before Nasser Hussain wished he'd decided to bat. By stumps on the first day Australia were 2 for 364, with Hayden unbeaten on 186. The breakthrough came early on the second morning, but Hayden wasn't finished, deflating the visitors further with a swift century in the next innings, the first of two occasions in which he brought up twin hundreds. Fortunately for England, who lost by 384 runs, it was the end of Hayden's streak of seven centuries in ten games.

380 v Zimbabwe, 1st Test, Perth, 2003-04
Against anyone else this would be Hayden's defining display, but because it was Zimbabwe the status of the world record was downgraded. Over almost two days he showed his might against the game's minnows to the extent where the bowlers feared for their safety. There were 38 fours, 11 sixes, a strike-rate of 86.95 and no reprieve for the visitors until he had passed Brian Lara's 375. Lara appropriately reclaimed the mark in 2004 with 400 against England.

119 v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Sharjah, 2002
Hit in the head early by Shoaib Akhtar, Hayden recovered and taunted the bowler by asking "is that all you've got?" Mostly he showed his physical strength in temperatures that pushed the half-century mark and forced some of the bowlers to deliver one-over spells. When he was ninth-out he had batted for 431 minutes; nobody else passed 50 in the game and he outscored Pakistan, who fell for 59 and 53. Akhtar was near his peak that year, but Hayden was better.

130 v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Galle, 2004
Ricky Ponting's start to the captaincy was not going so well with Australia facing a 161-run deficit after the first innings. By the time Hayden was out they had a lead of 84 and Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann ensured Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill had enough runs to bowl at. Once again Hayden had shown his versatility, seeing off the threats of Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, and raised another century at a time when he was the most productive batsman in the game.

© Cricinfo

These are the best five knocks of Matty Hayden according to cricinfo, but i think his 203 at Chennai in 2001 and his century in the Oval test in 2005 should have been there somewhere, any other knock any of you can think of, that is already not in there?

 

[howardj]

Was dreading going to the bash-athon tonight, but am now chuffed to be going, to farewell one of Qld's finest.

 

[pup11]

Leaving aside the arrogance and the bully part of him, he truly is one of the most inspirational stories in sport in last 20 years or so. The mental toughness and the optimism he showed coming back from his annus horribilus (1997) was extraordinary. He was a figure of ridicule in some circles, particularly when, playing for Hampshire, he was dismissed without offering, against the Australians on the Ashes Tour (exactly the way he got out to Ambrose and Schulz early doors in his Test career).

That there was such a gap between his FC record and his Test record made him a sitting duck for critics.

As i said in my earlier post, Haydos has always been a fighter, he never got an easy ride in the Aussie colours, he had to earn it every time, by scoring truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit, whether you talk about his comeback to test cricket in India or his comeback to the ODI team prior to the WC, he has always comeback as a stronger and better player, and that's testimony to his mental strength and his strong character.

 

[pup11]

Was dreading going to the bash-athon tonight, but am now chuffed to be going, to farewell one of Qld's finest.

Would have been great had he been asked to play in the T20 game this evening, one last hurray in front of his home crowd, but atleast something is better than nothing, hoping Queesnlanders would turn up in huge numbers to bid farewell to one of their most favourite sons.

 

[Mister Wright]

These are the best five knocks of Matty Hayden according to cricinfo, but i think his 203 at Chennai in 2001 and his century in the Oval test in 2005 should have been there somewhere, any other knock any of you can think of, that is already not in there?

People like to bag Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe, but they forget he had to put up with some pretty good bowling early on, on the first day. He was only 31 at lunch, and was around 90 odd at tea. It wasn't until after tea on that first day that he really did cut loose. It wasn't like the bowling was so poor he smashed them from ball one. He really had to work hard early on and got the rewards.

 

[Redbacks]

Well done Haydos, thanks for all the great memories

 

[Simon]

His best innings ever was definitely the one in Sharjah, was an immense show of concentration, determination and fight, this single one time proved he was more than a one trick pony.

 

[aussie]

Media played a big role in this decision..

 

[vic_orthdox]

Media played a big role in this decision..

To be honest, I think that if Jaques had've been fit, this decision might've been made for him by the selectors during the SA Test series.

 

[aussie]

To be honest, I think that if Jaques had've been fit, this decision might've been made for him by the selectors during the SA Test series.

Very likely. But lets say Australia where winning he wouldn't have been under such pressure coming back from injury since i still believe he hasn't lost it. Victim of the teams circumstances IMO.

Hopefully if Lee returns for the Ashes & doesn't fire from the word go they don't do the same with him.

 

[social]

Brilliant player and will go down as an all-time great - a title, alas, that will never be bestowed upon Nasser or Athers

 

[Mister Wright]

His best innings ever was definitely the one in Sharjah, was an immense show of concentration, determination and fight, this single one time proved he was more than a one trick pony.

Definitely. That was an amazing innings.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hopefully if Lee returns for the Ashes & doesn't fire from the word go they don't do the same with him.

Lol!

 

[vic_orthdox]

Very likely. But lets say Australia where winning he wouldn't have been under such pressure coming back from injury since i still believe he hasn't lost it. Victim of the teams circumstances IMO.

Hopefully if Lee returns for the Ashes & doesn't fire from the word go they don't do the same with him.

Lee has already made two Ashes tours and hasn't performed well in either of them. I'd be hesitant to be rushing him back in without a solid exhibition of form beforehands.

 

[Redbacks]

He now becomes a perfect scapegoat for Hilditch as to why we lost the recent series. He also put the blame to Hussey and Lee