Matthew Hayden Leaves Behind More Than Just Records

The retirement of opener Matthew Hayden removes another piece of armoury from one of the greatest sides to grace the cricket field. Whilst England supporters might discreetly sneer at the loss of another nemesis, cricket fans are denied a last opportunity to witness the array of shots of one of the world’s outstanding players.

Australian selectors are renowned for their ruthlessness. Their remit is not just the now, but also the future, and players such as Michael Slater, Greg Blewett, and Matthew Elliott were discarded as not up to it. Sentimentality was not even a close second when Ian Healy was denied a farewell Test at his home ground, a match that would have given him 100 caps.

Despite this, Australian captain Ricky Ponting described Hayden’s decision to retire as a surprise.

He added his admiration for a player who “extracted every last little bit out of his ability.” This proved to be some ability. Statistically, Hayden is the greatest opening batter Australia has produced. His feats include 30 Test centuries with four in consecutive Tests. He has the third highest century conversion rate, whilst scoring 1,000 or more Test runs in five consecutive years from 2001.

Despite not always featuring in the one-day side, Hayden was twice a World Cup winner, and at the 2007 event scored the fastest century in the tournament’s history. To show that no form of the sport was alien, he led the 2007 inaugural World Twenty20 with 265 runs.

Yet, his international career took a while to get going. He played his first Test in South Africa in March 1994, scored 15 and five, and endured a broken thumb courtesy of Allan Donald. Hayden managed just 13 Tests for one century and two fifties in the next seven years.

Then the captaincy was passed on to Steven Waugh. Here was another player who worked hard to squeeze the best out of his abilities. As captain, Waugh sought any way in which to elevate his side. On overseas tours players had to give talks to their teammates about aspects of Australian life and its cricketing history.

There were those who scoffed at his ideas, and so Waugh sought to build a unit that could respond to his style of leadership. Hayden fit the part. He might have been considered by some selectors as too slow to succeed in the Test arena, but Waugh saw something in his attitude and approach to the sport. Hayden repaid his captain’s confidence with 549 runs at 109.80 in the next away series in India.

Hayden admitted at his recent press conference that he had been at the crossroads six or seven times in his career and each time he had to go away and reinvent himself. He was regularly told he was too big, couldn't play spin, or was poor off his pads.

The Australian Cricket Academy even rejected him because they were “really only after players suitable for first class cricket.”

Hayden persevered, rolled up his sleeves, and worked at his game. His closest English counterparts would be the likes of Nasser Hussain and even Geoffrey Boycott. Yet Hayden played his cricket with a confidence more akin to Marcus Trescothick.

It was whilst picking a bunch of wild tomatoes in his back garden with daughter Grace that Hayden decided, “this is where it is at.” Maybe he will turn his attentions to his other passion, cooking, but undoubtedly Australia will miss him. If he leaves behind, though, his work ethic and dedication to practice, then he will inspire many more to torment future England teams.