Tag: Matthew Hayden

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday as he expressed gratitude to England’s Joe Root, who finally ended his century jinx in Australia during the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.

Earlier in the day, England’s premier batter Joe Root finally ended his long wait for a Test century on Australian soil with a fighting hundred on day one of the second Ashes Test at The Gabba.

Coming into the contest under heavy scrutiny after twin failures in Perth, where England were bundled out inside two days, the former captain delivered a statement knock under pressure.

The 34-year-old remained unbeaten at the end of the day’s play with 135 runs scored from 202 balls.

Joe Root, who is also the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, had failed to hit a century on his previous Ashes tours.

 

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The ace batter had 892 runs to his name at an average of 35.68 with the help of 10 fifties and no centuries in 29 innings played.

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For this reason, before the commencement of the Ashes 2025, former Australian cricketers have made bold statements, including Hayden, who had made the most audacious claim.

“I will walk n*de around the MCG if he doesn’t make a hundred this summer,” said Hayden during the All Over Bar The Cricket YouTube podcast.

After Root’s century, Hayden issued a video statement praising the batter, and took a sigh of relief.

“Good day, Joe. Congratulations, mate, on the hundred here in Australia. Took you a while, and there was no one that had more skin in the game than me, literally,” said Hayden.

“I was backing you in for the hundred in a good way. So mate, congratulations 10, fifties and finally a 100. You little ripper, mate. Have a beauty and bloody enjoy it,” he added.

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Cricket legends AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh have endorsed the game’s fourth format, called Test Twenty.

Test Twenty, a hybrid format, is set to be launched next year, designed for youth cricketers aged 13 to 19.

Matches will be played in whites with the red ball, featuring four innings of 20 overs each, all wrapped into a single day.

The format introduces a few notable adjustments to balance the two cricketing styles.

Each team is allowed one four-over PowerPlay, while the follow-on can be enforced if a team batting second trails by 75 or more runs after the first innings.

Teams may use a maximum of five bowlers, with each restricted to eight overs across the match.

Notably, a game can end in a win, loss, tie, or draw, giving players the chance to experience multiple outcomes within a single-day contest.

AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh form part of the advisory board for this innovative new format.

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De Villiers highlighted the creative opportunities Test Twenty will offer.

“What excites me most is the real creative freedom that this format brings to the party,” he said.

“It lets players completely express themselves but also think differently and take the kind of risks that make cricket so beautiful. Beyond that, it also teaches balance. You need to have the ability to survive across two innings.”

Sir Clive Lloyd praised the combination of spectacle and endurance.

“T20 cricket is an exhibition, and Test cricket is an examination. You’re now combining these two things into one. I’m sure it will be a success,” the legendary West Indies’ captain stated.

Meanwhile, Harbhajan Singh underlined the importance of engaging the audience.

“It is the crowd that makes any game famous, whether it is cricket, hockey, or even football in Australia,” the spinner said.

“These games are big because crowds get behind them, they endorse them. The best thing we can do is simplify it so that people can understand and connect with it.”

READ: Test Twenty explained: the game-changing fourth format of cricket

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden believes India head coach Gautam Gambhir could have handled his heated exchange with The Oval curator Lee Fortis ahead of the fifth Test against England with more measured language.

The incident occurred during India’s optional training session before the final Test of the five-match series in late July.

Members of the Indian support staff arrived early to inspect the pitch, with Gambhir joining them later alongside his assistant coaches.

Lee Fortis was reportedly unhappy with the Indian players using most of the main square for training and being in close proximity to the pitch.

While speaking with assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, the curator was interrupted by Gautam Gambhir, leading to a verbal confrontation.

Fortis was heard warning Gambhir not to swear and threatening to lodge a complaint with the match referee.

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The groundsman also asked the Indian staff to stay at least 2.5 metres away from the main square, citing footwear concerns, to which Gambhir reacted by repeatedly calling him “just a groundsman” while pointing at him.

Speaking on a YouTube podcast, Matthew Hayden said he could relate to Gambhir’s frustration, recalling his own experiences with protective curators in England.

“I used to sit in the middle and meditate. Often, someone would come up and tell me to move. Curators can get pretty protective around the surface, especially in England,” Hayden said.

“This was a bit of a flex, final Test match, their venue, and they tried to make it difficult for Gautam Gambhir.

“He’s got every right, but he could have toned it down. The reality is, his team was preparing for the most important Test match.”

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MELBOURNE: Pakistan team mentor Matthew Hayden termed the T20 World Cup final a contest between the Green Shirts’ quality bowling and England’s quality batting, saying that both teams have all the bases covered for the big clash on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, where the Pakistan team have been undergoing training before the final, Hayden said that his side has four quick bowlers who could make an impact and create some sustainable damage to the dangerous England batting line.

Pointing at India’s deficiencies in the second semi-final the other day, former Australian cricketer observed that the side was short of a leg-spinner and had fewer genuine bowling options than Pakistan.

“I think what India was really missing last night in the bowling department was a leg-spinning option. This side (Pakistan) has six genuine options and a seventh as well. If he is required,” he said.

Talking about the unmet fantasy of the India-Pakistan final, Hayden, said it would have been lovely to see two subcontinental rivals come to this stage and play an enormous game of cricket.

“I don’t think this stadium (MCG) has ever seen a spectacle of a sport like the first game we had at the start of the tournament. Of course, it would’ve been lovely to regenerate that, but it’s not” he added.

Moreover, the team mentor praised the combination of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and their on-field as well as off-field chemistry, saying that they got each others’ backs and fully understand the game of cricket with its ups and downs.

Commenting on Sunday’s final between Pakistan and England, Hayden said both sides were equally balanced and the side which handles its pressure and emotions better on the day will eventually come out on top.

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DUBAI: Pakistan team’s batting consultant Matthew Hayden is keen to share his observations regarding Indian players with the Green Shirts before their highly-anticipated contest with arch-rivals in T20 World Cup on October 24. 

In a virtual media session conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday, Hayden, who commentated in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, said India has some really good players such as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant who can rattle the opposition on their day.

“I have closely watched Indian players in recent times. They have KL Rahul who has grown up with a strong cricketing mind. Then they have Rishabh Pant who has a cheeky smile and good sense of cricket,” he shared.

“Overall, the Indian squad is strong but we also have some really good cricketers in Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and others. See, it’s obviously a pressure game, the team who will execute their plan strongly will win, as simple as that,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Hayden also talked about his short stint with the Pakistan team and shared that he hasn’t thought about a long-term stay. “I have never thought of things that are too far in my life ever. I plan things when they come to me. I am here with the Pakistan team for T20 World Cup, and I am just sticking to it and want this team to win mega event. Rest is just the future and I can’t predict it,” he added.

The batting consultant further said that calmness will be the key for his team to do wonders in the multi-nation tournament.

“One thing I would say to my players is ‘be calm’. Calmness can do big things for you. If you create panic in any situation, you lose things,” he shared.

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Dubai: Batting consultant Matthew Hayden has joined the Pakistan team here at the ICC Academy Ground as Green Shirts take part in the first practice session after arriving in UAE.

Australia’s Hayden joined the side after he was tested negative for COVID-19. Bowling consultant Vernon Philander had joined the side in Lahore.

📸 First day of Pakistan @T20WorldCup squad training session at ICC Academy, Dubai #WeHaveWeWill | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OJnQRSzlwq

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 17, 2021

Remember, Pakistan men’s team arrived in UAE on October 15. They underwent COVID-19 tests on arrival and had to do mandatory one-day isolation.

It must be noted Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals India on October 24 in Dubai. Green Shirts will play two warm-up games ahead of India’s clash.

The first practice match is against West Indies on October 18 in Dubai while second match is scheduled with South Africa on October 20 in Abu Dhabi.