Australian cricket great Matthew Hayden has again attacked the country’s current crop of Test cricketers, claiming the withdrawal of several high-profile players from the white-ball component of the upcoming tour of Pakistan is a ‘massive flag of concern’.
Hayden, who was one of the most vocal critics of the players for their role in Justin Langer’s acrimonious departure from the head coaching position, wasn’t impressed after Pat Cummins, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were left out of Australia’s squad for three ODIs and a T20I to be held after the three-Test series in Pakistan.
Speaking to The Australian, Hayden believes Cricket Australia is ‘being led around by the players’, calling for those opting out of the limited-overs portion of the tour should face a pay cut.
“When players are choosing not to play for their country it is a massive flag of concern for your high-performance set-up,’’ Hayden said.
“I just don’t reckon it passes the pub test. The single biggest thing which ties everything together at that level is that you are all really keen to play for your country and if you haven’t got that, I actually question whether you have a high performance culture at all.
“It just makes it so hard to build all the things you are trying to have like team values, principles, giving a s–t about your mates.
“If you are unavailable to play for Australia, there has to be some accountability. You shouldn’t be paid for work you don’t do and should have to salary sacrifice.”
Hayden was famously one of the most passionate and driven players to ever don the baggy green, taking nearly seven years from his Test debut in 1994 to become a regular in the XI.
(Photo by Getty Images)
From there, he would become arguably Australia’s finest ever opening batter, scoring 30 centuries at an average of 50.73 before retiring in early 2009.
“I couldn’t wait to play for Australia because I spent seven years where I couldn’t get in the bloody team,” Hayden said.
“You shouldn’t be able to cherry-pick when you want to play for Australia… it doesn’t make any sense to me.
“We all know how important the IPL is and it has its window and I know it can be difficult for players and administrators to operate within the confines of modern schedules, but I still think you can’t have your cake and eat it.”
More recently, Hayden was vocal in his opposition to close friend Langer’s tumultuous exit as Australian coach, describing the culture within the organisation as ‘a leaking boat’ and particularly harsh on Test captain Cummins’ lack of support for Langer in events.
“How do you reckon he’d [Langer] be going? To hear the Australian captain offer no support and commendation. How would you feel?” an emotional Hayden said on ABC Radio.
“And now we hear Pat Cummins saying, ‘This is a high performance environment, we all go through a high performance review’.
“I’m sorry Pat but that’s garbage … this just reeks of being orchestrated.”
Cummins has since defended his and his fellow players’ role in Langer’s departure, telling SEN 1170 Breakfast on Friday there was ‘nothing untoward’ in how things played out.
“To say that we are decision-makers is quite far from the truth,” he said.
“It’s a high-performance set-up, there’s the board that makes decisions, so of course, people within the environment get consulted, that includes senior players, staff members, which I think has always been the case.
“I think that’s the right way to do things, it’s healthy. Nothing untoward, for sure.”
Nick
Roar Guru
Fair questions... I guess I'd say that those were white ball only tours where you'd be flying in flying out in under a week. The Pakistan one is a more conventional tour. They are already there for the tests.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Whether or not he's right about players missing international matches, we didn't hear boo from him about this while Langer's job was safe. Look at the white ball squads Australia sent to NZ, WI and Bangladesh before Langer stepped back. Why wasn't he publicly up in arms when the squads were announced for those series? It was only when the heat was being applied to Langer in August that resting players became an issue. If Langer was still sitting pretty as coach, there would still be players missing these games and Haydos wouldn't be saying a damned thing.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
McGrath was remarkable for having a bowling action that caused very little wear and tear on the body. There was a period where bowling coaches tried to modify player bowling actions to mimic his action to prevent the development of injuries.
Gee
Roar Rookie
They are saving themselves for the IPL.
Gee
Roar Rookie
The Australian cricket team was certainly better back is his day when he was playing
Gee
Roar Rookie
That didn't seem to bother McGrath that much, but then again he was a class or three above the current NSW pacers.
matth
Roar Guru
You said he wasn’t hypocritical.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
That’s right - Hayden wasn’t really playing much cricket (especially tests) at an international level at that stage if his career. By the time he was an established international player in 1999-2000, tour matches had become meaningless and less common. He certainly after that season, Hayden never had to prove himself in a tour match to earn selection.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
But aren’t they professional players, do your job that your paid to do, simple. I’m sure some millions of Pakistani’s won’t find it boring. Aust should be fielding their best side as respect to the Pakis who have been deprived of cricket in their country for so long.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Yes, I agree. Touring matches are for practice (mainly for batsmen). And basically meaningless beyond that.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Sounds like they're keeping themselves fresh for the IPL though??
Slarti
Roar Rookie
@Gray-Hand Ask the English who just got thrashed in the Ashes if they think they should have had some tour matches – I think the majority of them would say yes.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
I’m sure a lot of cricket deprived Paki supporters will remember.
John66
Roar Rookie
Nothing to do with the article,so great job of displaying your own pious self-righteousness. Well done.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I completely get that, and I think 3 game series should be the limit (same for ODI's), but the interchangeable franchises are even more meaningless in my mind. They're good for the players from less competitive nations like Nepal, but I just can't get into them.
matth
Roar Guru
No, he’s just hypocritical about being a devout Christian and crossing himself before batting and then turning around and being the most vile sledger in the team, which was quite a feat.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
You can clean your teeth before having a meal and it can still be beneficial...but no point wiping your but before taking a dump! Confucius the confused allegedly stated this on his death bed.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Ah the golden rule is breached ..” Do not allow facts to interfere with a good story ! “
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
I’ll drink to that ..quite clever :thumbup:
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
I doubt that Tim , I really don’t mind T20 . It can be huge fun but I do feel that it’s been flogged a bit too much . T20 lends itself so well to tournaments hence the success of the IPL etc . But am I the only person who sees it as a bit boring when played in bilateral tours . Witness the recent matches between the Windies and India . Nobody cared at all as far as I can see . Same for the Aus vs Sri Lanka matches . Think after the intensity of a Test series players should find it really tough to lift themselves up for T20 especially if there is an ODI series too . It’s all too much .