By Andy Fleming -
January 8th 2009 @ 2:51pm
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How good is Hayden?
Yes, the Australian Selectors have chosen not to select Matthew Hayden for the ODI against the South Africans.
So with his form not up to par, it is time to look back at his career and look where he rates as one of the great batsmen of the last decade.
Now when I hear the great batsmen of the last decade, the same names appear: Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis, Gilchrist.
In all forms of international cricket since 2000, Hayden has made 14,519 runs at 49.55, with 39 centuries.
in test cricket, only three players have scored more runs than him: Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid. Of them, only Ponting (35) has scored more hundreds than his 29.
In one day cricket, only five players average more than his 45.32.
When I compared Matthew Hayden’s record against other opening batsmen of the last decade his test average is the highest at 52.93, just ahead of Virender Sehweg (52.38) and Graeme Smith (52.03), and he scores centuries every 5.93 innings; quicker than everyone (the next is Graeme Smith at 6.83).
His ODI average is only beaten by Tendulkar who averages 46.75, when opening, the next is West Indian Chris Gayle (42.29). Tendulkar is the greatest opening batsmen in the history of ODI cricket (averaging 48.03)
So history, should rate him as one of the greatest batsmen, and the premier opening batsmen of the 2000’s.
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(2)
sheek said | January 8th 2009 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Yeah, for some time now I’ve ranked Hayden our best opening bat ever. At least statistically, that is definitely so. As Hayden struggles in his last year of international cricket, it may be difficult at times to remember how good he was at his peak.
Why, only the previous summer, in 3 tests against the Indians, he scored 3 centuries & averaged 82 with the bat.
I’ve ranked what I consider our best 12 opening batsman in chronological order, with the number of tests played, batting average & centuries scored.
1. Victor Trumper – RB, 48t, 39.05av, 8c.
2. Warren Bardsley – LB, 41t, 40.48av, 6c.
3. Bert Collins – RB, 19t, 45.07av, 4c.
4. Bill Ponsford – RB, 29t, 48.23av, 7c.
5. Bill Woodfull – RB, 35t, 46.00av, 7c.
6. Bill Brown – RB, 22t, 46.82av, 4c.
7. Arthur Morris – LB, 46t, 46.49av, 12c.
8. Bob Simpson – RB, 62t, 46.82av, 10c.
9. Bill Lawry – LB, 67t, 47.15av, 13c.
10. Mark Taylor – LB, 104t, 43.50av, 19c.
11. Justin Langer – LB, 105t, 45.27av, 23c.
12. Matt Hayden – LB, 103t, 50.74av, 30c.
The great Sir Don Bradman regarded Arthur Morris as our best opening batsman. He died before seeing the best from Hayden. Bradman preferred Ponsford as opening partner to Morris. Apparently, Bradman didn’t think much of Trumper, who he considered ‘wasteful’. Although he wasn’t as blunt in saying so.
However, Trumper lived in a different time, & certainly had a more cavalier attitude to the hard-nosed Bradman. Trumper felt once he had given his side a good start, he had done his job, & would open up his strokeplay (even more so than before).
It’s also worth considering Trumper played in the days of uncovered wickets (as did those up to Bradman’s time) & rough hewn pitches that definitely favoured the bowlers.
I would unhesitatingly suggest that had Trumper played a century later (today), his batting average would be about 10 points higher, putting him very close to Hayden. Perhaps also, today’s averages are a bit overblown for batsmen.
Consequently, it’s the 2 bookends of the 12 players nominated above, with the highest & lowest batting averages – Hayden & Trumper – who would be my selections for our best ever openers. My best 3 pairs of openers would be as follows:
1. Trumper & Hayden
2. Ponsford & Morris
3. Simpson & Lawry
LeftArmSpinner said | January 9th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
not good enough for the test team!!!