Matty Hayden: Tribute to a Legend

The slightly inevitable news of Matthew Hayden's retirement has hit the cricketing world today. Even though everyone knew it was coming, it doesn't take away the fact it's a saddening thing.

A glittering career for the big Queenslander was unfortunately brought to a slightly premature end after a poor 2008/'09. There is no doubt that he physically would have been able to carry on had it not been for the lack of runs.

A fantastic 103 Test Match career brought 8625 runs with 30 hundreds and 29 fifties, with an unbelievable top score of 380 against Zimbabwe at an average of 50.73. This isn't really a fair reflection of Haydos' Test career as up until recently he was averaging in excess of 54.

It seems that the one-day game was designed for someone like Hayden as he has such a great eye for the ball and such immense power. That combination lead to Hayden scoring 6133 runs averaging 43.80 with 10 hundreds and 36 half-centuries, with a best of 181*. A quite incredible achievement considering five of the centuries came in 2007.

Having made his first class debut in 1991 for Queensland, Hayden quickly got into his stride and earned his first "baggy green" in 1994 against South Africa at Johannesburg scoring only 15 and five.

However, Haydos really started to flourish when he struck a brilliant partnership with Justin Langer in 2000, as shown with his 549 averaging 109 against the Indians in 2001.

The big man's class was shown by his statistics, scoring over 1000 runs in each of the years from 2001-2005. His most runs came in 2001, scoring 1391 with a best of 203 averaging over 63, however, his best averaging year came in '03 scoring 1312 averaging over 77, with a best of 380.

Hayden's talents in the One day arena came in 2007, when he earned the ICC ODI Player of the Year as well as Australian ODI player in 2008.

Also in the T20 arena, Hayden excelled. Averaging 51.33 with four half centuries, with a best of 73*.

To sum it up, Matthew Hayden was an absolute legend of the game, he will be missed by the Aussie dressing room, but he is enough of a professional to realise that he had to move on. He should be remembered as a great talent that shone in a period of strength for Australian cricket.

The great man deserved a better finish to international cricket, but que sera sera!