3rd Test: Australia v New Zealand at SCG, Jan 3-7 2020

[hineyrulz]

Bashed out of the side by good quicks, only able to make a career when they were gone. Averaged far less in swinging conditions. Good against spin though, which many openers aren't, but he was pretty much the archetypal flat track bully

Yep, could barely score a run against Good Windies and Saffa attacks. He got an arsey ton against the Windies when he was dropped about 19 times. He loved the MCG road, padded those stats so nicely.

 

[billygilmore]

Smith contributed to that more getting out all the time off his bowling.

This is where Gilchrist was great, someone to just come in and smash the oppositions best bowler all over the park for a quick 60-80 runs and show the rest of the team how it’s done, knowone has stood up and even tried that this series, even if they fail have a go, we’ve been that far ahead in every game

 

[billygilmore]

Yep, could barely score a run against Good Windies and Saffa attacks. He got an arsey ton against the Windies when he was dropped about 19 times. He loved the MCG road, padded those stats so nicely.

97 I believe it was, I remember thinking as a youngster and a bulls fan he’s finally made, it took another 4 yrs and that tour of India, even then I think he failed miserably on the following tour of England except for an arsey 100 in the final test dead rubber, I think it was the test langer got a 100 after replacing slater.
Can’t deny he f**ken pulverised attacks for a couple years after that, especially at home but by then the Ambrose’s, Akram, Donald’s were a distant memory for him and he made hay while the sun shined. I think his avg may have touched on 60 for a test or 2 at some stage during this period to

 

[Hutty1986]

Bashed out of the side by good quicks, only able to make a career when they were gone. Averaged far less in swinging conditions. Good against spin though, which many openers aren't, but he was pretty much the archetypal flat track bully

The harshest criticism you can give from that is maybe a downgrade from a 'great' to a 'good' player. At his best he dominated attacks, obviously more so at home. That flat track title is pretty rough imo

 

[JJ]

Hayden >>>>>>>>>>>>>. Warner

 

[simmo1]

The harshest criticism you can give from that is maybe a downgrade from a 'great' to a 'good' player. At his best he dominated attacks, obviously more so at home. That flat track title is pretty rough imo

Agree. He's not an all time great but better than a flat track bully. There is a middle ground.

If he's a flat track bully, then he's best flat track bully to play the game.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

My favourite Hayden memory is of him scoring centuries in the second innings when Australia were already 400 runs ahead on a flat pitch against minnows.

 

[Bazal]

Hayden >>>>>>>>>>>>>. Warner

Yeah but you should always build on the archetype...

 

[Bazal]

My favourite Hayden memory is of him scoring centuries in the second innings when Australia were already 400 runs ahead on a flat pitch against minnows.

My favourite is watching him boss players like Vasbert Drakes, Kyle Mills and David Terbrugge and puffing his chest up like a hero, when he was almost retired at the age of 20 by bowlers like Ambrose and Walsh...

 

[simmo1]

My favourite is watching him boss players like Vasbert Drakes, Kyle Mills and David Terbrugge and puffing his chest up like a hero, when he was almost retired at the age of 20 by bowlers like Ambrose and Walsh...

Imagine not being able to score runs against Ambrose and Walsh as a debutant. What a f**king nuff.

 

[Bazal]

Hayden fans are so cute.

It was even better when there were a whole subset of fans who called Graeme Smith a flat track bully, but would have a stroke if you said a bad word about the big f**kwit from Kingaroy

 

[simmo1]

Hayden fans are so cute.

It was even better when there were a whole subset of fans who called Graeme Smith a flat track bully, but would have a stroke if you said a bad word about the big f**kwit from Kingaroy

Lol first time I've been called a Hayden fan. He'd be a lock in the all time merkin XI.

I just think there enough evidence of him scoring runs against quality attacks to put him above the minnow muncher level.

Smith was certainly quality though.

 

[Bazal]

Lol first time I've been called a Hayden fan. He'd be a lock in the all time merkin XI.

I just think there enough evidence of him scoring runs against quality attacks to put him above the minnow muncher level.

Smith was certainly quality though.

Oh I don't think he was strictly a minnow muncher. But there's a difference between that and being a flat track bully.

But tbh it's a discussion I've had too often to repeat in too much depth. Doesn't matter how many times you point out some of the absolute nuff swing bowlers that had his number, or his sub 35 averages in plenty of overseas countries...apparently averaging 60 odd in Australia and being big, long-limbed and able to sweep in India negates the fact that he downright sucked when the ball moved with the seam upright.

 

[hineyrulz]

97 I believe it was, I remember thinking as a youngster and a bulls fan he’s finally made, it took another 4 yrs and that tour of India, even then I think he failed miserably on the following tour of England except for an arsey 100 in the final test dead rubber, I think it was the test langer got a 100 after replacing slater.
Can’t deny he f**ken pulverised attacks for a couple years after that, especially at home but by then the Ambrose’s, Akram, Donald’s were a distant memory for him and he made hay while the sun shined. I think his avg may have touched on 60 for a test or 2 at some stage during this period to

He got that selfish hundred in 2005 at the Oval, cost us any chance of winning the game.

 

[simmo1]

Oh I don't think he was strictly a minnow muncher. But there's a difference between that and being a flat track bully.

But tbh it's a discussion I've had too often to repeat in too much depth. Doesn't matter how many times you point out some of the absolute nuff swing bowlers that had his number, or his sub 35 averages in plenty of overseas countries...apparently averaging 60 odd in Australia and being big, long-limbed and able to sweep in India negates the fact that he downright sucked when the ball moved with the seam upright.

Fair enough, I think we're arguing semantics over terminology tbh.

Its pretty rare for a player to be strong in all conditions, and I reckon you could find blemishes in any players record if you looked hard enough. You didn't have to look hard to find Hayden's weakness, but there not many Aussie players who wouldn't take his record on the subcontinent.

 

[mozza91]

Flat tracks or not an opening bat averaging above 50 is pretty bloody good.

 

[billygilmore]

Poor Haydos, imagine having the career he had, dominating the best bowling attacks of the day at various times throughout your career and you get remembered as a flat track bully whilst another bloke gets to be called the admiral

 

[Hutty1986]

Like i said, if our top 6 all had Haydos' stats, we would be winning a lot more games. Very good batsman, very good in the field.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Wadey taking on the short ball lets f**king goooooo

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Alistair Cook and Graeme Smith were way better than Matt Hayden