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Loading ...I wonder if the Aussie think tank will drop Hayden? Two reasons: 1) His woeful form has hurt the rest of the lineup which used to count on solid starts. I read some rumblings that Gilchrist would be pushed up the order replacing Hayden. 2) strengthen the bowling with 5 bowlers acknowledging that the four bowler option only works if one of the four is McGrath.
Matthew Hayden on the Edgbaston defeat
By Will 5 years ago, mid-August Add your comment below
Matthew Hayden, who, as it currently stands after two Tests averages less than Shane Warne and Brett Lee, writes for the Telegraph this morning:
Watching an event like that unfold is far more taxing on the blood pressure than actually taking part. During the chase, a fly on the wall in the players’ viewing area would have spotted Jason Gillespie and Simon Katich marking the runs off in multiples of five on the back of a newspaper, with Stuart MacGill demanding everyone be quiet as “nervous talk wastes energy”. Adam Gilchrist was not daring to look and thrusting his attention to a magazine, while Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and I sat silently trying to wish us more runs.
After the game, we spent some time with England in their dressing rooms, then had a quiet team meeting where John Buchanan and Ricky emphasised their pride in Shane, Brett and Michael’s fine efforts.
We briefly discussed the week ahead and some of the things we will do to swing the momentum of the series back into our favour.
One of those things will be the best way to combat Flintoff. He was outstanding throughout. For the crowd to see him and Shane Warne at their best would have been a true highlight.
For a long time now the cricket world has been waiting to see us in a real dogfight. Well, we truly have that fight on our hands now, and that’s something that we won’t shy away from.
I’m confident that it will inspire our group to be at their very best. After all, that’s the true test of a champion team. We have wonderful self-belief among our group and I know that it won’t take much for us to be back at our best.
We’ll see if this “champion team,” fast becoming a Hayden cliche, live up to their hype.
Tags: australia, edgbaston, england, matthew-hayden, the-ashes |
10 Responses to “Matthew Hayden on the Edgbaston defeat”
August 8th, 2005 at 8.35 pm
August 8th, 2005 at 11.11 pm
Interesting that Matty Hayden should talk about the group being inspired to be “at their very best”. Matt, when are we going to see you at your very best? You’re a true blue Queenslander champion, but you don’t look comfortable at the moment. If you can get back to your old form then that will go a long way towards getting the team back on top again.
August 9th, 2005 at 12.15 am
Getting off to a good start when batting, is what will win this series for which ever side manages to do it. Neither side’s top order has clicked.
My opinion is Australia’s top order is more capable of doing so, but losing McGrath and now possibly Lee, boosts Englands top order chances significantly, and balances things quite out a bit. Also Trescothick looked great in the first innings.
You could be being a little harsh on Hayden, I think this response was fairly humble, and you can’t argue, this is a champion team. I would argue that the momentum is not firmly with England (slightly maybe) but Flintoff aside, they haven’t been that convincing.
August 9th, 2005 at 3.46 am
Australia have some positives to take away from the Test. Their batting and bowling have only got to get better from here. Apart from Warne and Lee in one session, their bowling was way under par- ditto for the batting line-up barring Langer in first innings and the tail at the end. And at the end of all this, they lose only by the thinnest of margins. There is plenty of hope!
Of course, the momentum is with England and given an injury to Lee, their bowling is anything but world class. But still, nobody has quite figured out how to play Warne consistently well and that should be a huge worry for England.
Its interestingly poised and thats great for cricket but I still think Buchanan is too shrewd and Australia too professional for this series to slip away. Going into Old Trafford, with or without Lee, its still advantage Australia for me!
August 9th, 2005 at 8.59 am
Yes, i think it is still advantage Australia, although i am very worried about hayden. And a little bit bit about ponting too, but at least he shows signs of brilliants, just far to inconsistant. I wish we were taking on the the world team when we were at our best. Back in the waugh days we were a stronger team and would have been perhaps favourites. I guess i’m going to have to get over it and look towards the new talent in Australian cricket….a damn pitty Mcgraths, warnes and gilchrists don’t come along every 5 years. It is really amazin such talents are playing in the same era for the same team.
August 9th, 2005 at 12.25 pm
Interesting that Warne and Lee currently have a better series average than poor Matty Hayden. Where does that place Bell and the mighty Vaughan, whose combined averages don’t match that of Haydens. I guess that might put things in a little clearer perspective.
August 9th, 2005 at 1.41 pm
I’m rarely the most positive or optimistic of people when it comes to English cricket – I, and a nation, have been through the mill in the past 20 years! – but I don’t see how Australia have the “advantage,” Harry.
August 9th, 2005 at 3.10 pm
i was talking about the series, because i honestly believe with Mcgrath playing (and everyone else) England will not beat Australia, but certainly in test 3 England probably have the advantage. Which is probably contridicting myself seeing as if england go into the fourth 2-1 up it’s not going to be advantage australia at all, but there you have it.
August 10th, 2005 at 6.08 am
England got thrashed in the first test, they just won the second test.
Take Flintoff out of the second innings and their batting was atrocious! Our batting has looked good (apart from Hayden). All of our boys have got some sort of score and just not gone on with it. To be honest Langer doesn’t look like getting out until he actually does. Same can be said of Clarke.
I dare say Australia won’t bowl as badly as that first innings again!! No matter who they pick.
Some of the stuff this week has been typical England. Glossing over the facts – batting has some real problems, and bowling a couple of weaknesses (Giles and Hoggard). I mean Giles only bowls well when we don’t attack him. And Hoggard isn’t up to this standard I am afraid. It’s like watching DeFreitas and Pringle rolled into one hairy man!!
I wonder how the English will react when it is 4-1 Australia?? “we won one game, we are on the improve!” To be consistently the best team you need some great players. Australia have them, McGrath, Warne, Ponting, Gilchrist, Hayden and our second tier guys have averages that stack up against anyone that has ever played apart from the Don! England have a couple in the making in Flintoff and Pietersen, but have some work to do on some others.
September 7th, 2005 at 1.19 am
I think Haydos is gunna get a HUGE score in the Fifth Test…He and JL have returned to form…
That was the second Test…and oh how it hurt. They’ve won two now, but the matches have all been too close for england to claim they are better…the only not close match in this series was Lords, where we WON!
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