Matthew Hayden, one of the hardest hitting opening batsmen in history. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

For long his colleague Matthew Hayden sizzled in the first-class game, but fizzled at the highest level. His successes for Queensland did not translate into performances of any note for Australia. His first stint was mediocre and he was dropped. The big man continued to persevere, scoring heavily in domestic cricket, finally making his breakthrough at the age of 29 in the 2000-01 series in India. It has been forgotten that in that big turnaround in the Kolkata Test, engineered by the Herculean partnership between V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid, Hayden was a star performer for Australia with scores of 97 and 67. Since then the southpaw did not look back. Each year from 2001 to 2005 he hit up 1000 Test runs. Forging highly successful left-handed opening partnerships, with Adam Gilchrist in the One-dayers and Justin Langer in Tests, Hayden played a key role in Australia’s golden run.

The big bully advanced menacingly down the pitch, almost intimidating the bowlers like a giant caveman brandishing a chunky club. He did actually club the ball with his booming drives, rasping cuts and thundering pulls. The most menacing hitter since Ian Botham, Hayden slammed pacemen and spinners alike. His one weakness was his tendency to play a shot too many in his quest to dominate the bowling, thereby often giving his wicket away.

In their heyday this century, the Australians came to be hailed for their quick scoring. This was mainly courtesy the rousing starts Hayden gave with his partners. In the Tests they would hammer the new ball around and Australia invariably clocked four runs an over. In the shorter version, Hayden and Gilchrist would knock up six to seven runs an over in the first fifteen overs with the field in. That was the foundation for the incredible success Australia achieved during his fruitful days at the top of the order.

Hayden’s moment of euphoria, of course, was when he broke Lara’s Test record, blasting 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth on October 10, 2003. The bowling may have been ordinary, but it was a terrific display of hitting. Hayden struck 38 fours and 11 sixes - 218 in boundaries alone - off just 437 balls in 10 hours and 22 minutes. He took 208 deliveries to reach his hundred, and then just 229 more for the rest of his 280 runs. The Perth wicket was not as fast and bouncy as of yore, and with the ball coming nicely on to the bat, Hayden made merry. India’s former captain S. Venkataraghavan, who was umpiring that match told The Times of India, “He’s just so uninhibited. Nothing seemed to bother him.”

Just over six months later on April 12, 2004 Lara snatched the record back. Hayden bludgeoned his way through to 8625 runs at an average of 50.73 with 30 hundreds in his 103 Tests. In the One-dayers Hayden slammed 6133 runs at an average of 43.80, and a strike-rate of 78.96. An essential part of Ponting’s all-conquering World Cup team, Hayden hit the then fastest century in the competition off 66 balls against South Africa at St. Kitts in 2007. He also had the highest aggregate in that tournament with 659 runs at an average of 73.22 with three hundreds in 11 matches. One of the hardest hitting opening batsmen in history, Hayden’s contribution to Australian cricket has been matched by few.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight 480 grams

188 pages

Available on Amazon at an attractive price: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859  

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

When in the mood, Brian Lara a genius, no less. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

 

When in the mood, Brian Lara was a genius, no less. Caribbean flair, and not any textbook principles, was the hallmark of his batting. High backlift, braced knees, a hop this way and that in the crease, flashing blade and terrific bat speed, and deft wrist-work on either side of the wicket were characteristics of his inimitable style. When he put his mind to it, he was amongst the very best ever, in the traditional form perhaps next only to Bradman.

As super success embraced him, Lara was quick to assume the airs of a megastar. Petulance, brushes with authority and stormy personal life began to cast a shadow over his career. For a long time it seemed that he might go the way of so many hugely talented sportsmen like George Best who frittered away their God-given gifts and ultimately destroyed themselves.

It is said that the pressure of expectations got the better of Lara. To his credit, he broke free of the stupor and applied his mind to his batting, returning as one of the greatest rungetters the game has seen. The difference between Lara and Tendulkar - hugely talented as both are in their unique ways - was that Tendulkar remained grounded, a dedicated player, committed team man, modest and content in the security of family life. He never allowed the unprecedented adulation to swamp him, nor did the burden of having to perform constantly stifle him. He sailed along, darling of millions, everyone’s very own endearing Sachin. If he had a flaw, as we have already discussed, it was that he would get carried away by his own brilliance and give his wicket away when there were many, many more runs for the taking.

That 277 at Sydney in 1992-93, Lara’s first Test hundred, when the West Indies were desperately defending their status as top dogs, was only advance notice of what was to follow. Lara emulated Bradman by holding the records for the highest scores in Tests as well as first-class cricket. Sir Garfield Sobers walked on to the Antigua Recreation Ground to embrace Lara as the new hero went past his Test record. In that 1993-94 series against England, Lara hit up 798 runs at an average of 99.75.

The world had still not stopped applauding Lara when he astounded everyone by piling up an unbeaten 501 for Warwickshire versus Durham at Birmingham. It was a new frontier - as a famous television series on space odysseys declared - where no man had gone before. In a matter of days he did what no batsman, not Grace nor Bradman, had done in 117 years. The English bowlers must have dreaded the sight of his punishing blade as he carved out 765 runs in the six-Test series on their soil in 1995 at an average of 85.

In between, Lara had not relished the slower wickets of India during the 1994-95 series. Not long after, when the euphoria of having scaled great highs so early in his career wore off, Lara began appearing listless and disinterested. It was akin to the feeling of unease that Bradman experienced in 1932, but Lara’s malaise was more severe. Bradman never allowed his performances to dip, Lara could not defy his slump.

He recovered, to the good fortune of cricket-lovers around the world. The first sign of a turnaround came in 1998-99. That season his stock had slumped to abysmal depths in South Africa as the West Indies were trounced 5-0 in the Test series. Then they were beaten by Australia in the first Test at home. There were shrill voices all around demanding that Lara be stripped of the captaincy. And then he struck. He scored a superb 213 to lead the West Indies to victory over Steve Waugh’s side at Kingston. In the very next Test at Bridgetown he carried his team to an exhilarating one-wicket triumph with a stupendous unbeaten 153. So gripping was the game that the Jamaican prime minister postponed meetings to watch the finale. The West Indies actually led the series 2-1 now, and Lara was again being hailed as a superhero everywhere. This was akin to Bradman’s stirring fightback in 1936-37, but not quite as decisive in the end. The Australians eventually levelled the series, but Lara had once again shown what he was really capable of.

The big turnaround eventually came in 2001-02 in the Emerald Island after a prolonged illness. He began with his 221 off the Sri Lankan bowling at Colombo in that landmark season. In three Tests, Lara scored 668 runs at an average of 114.66 with 3 hundreds. Though he suffered a serious arm injury as a result of a mid-pitch collision, he came back stronger than ever. Since that series, in the last six years till his retirement from Test cricket in 2006-07, he scored an average of a Test double century a year.        

When Sri Lanka made a return visit to the Caribbean islands the next season, Lara slammed 209 at Gros Islet. After he regained the captaincy in 2003, and perhaps consumed by a burning desire to finish his career in a blaze of glory, Lara was unstoppable. He played two big knocks in the 2003-04 season. He first slammed 202 against South Africa at Johannesburg. During the course of that innings he hit the highest number of runs in an over in Test cricket. He smashed Robin Peterson for 4.6.6.4.4.4, a total of 28 runs.

Matthew Hayden had taken away Lara’s Test record that season. The Prince of Trinidad, though, was not ready to be dethroned. And so Hayden had the pleasure, and privilege, of being Test cricket’s top-scorer for only a few months.  Lara returned to the same venue and against the very opponents of a decade earlier and reclaimed his coveted record. Again he went to a territory no Test cricketer had treaded before, reaching 400 before he returned unconquered. He had emulated Bradman by hitting up two scores of 300-plus in Test cricket. India’s Virender Sehwag joined the club at Chennai in 2007-08. But while Bradman was never able to reset the Test record, Lara, incredibly, got it back. That there was a gap of a decade between the two high watermarks, makes his achievements even more laudable.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight 480 grams

188 pages

Available on Amazon at an attractive price: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859  

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

 

Arthur Morris, classy left-handed opening batsman. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

It would be pertinent to discuss one more batsman of the Bradman era, his compatriot, the left-handed Arthur Morris, whom The Don chose in his all-time dream team to open with Barry Richards.

It was with Morris that Bradman put on 301 for the second wicket in the famous run-chase at Headingley in 1948. They got together after Lindsay Hassett fell at 57, and set up the magnificent victory, the first time that a side scored 400 in the fourth innings to win a Test. Morris made 182 before he was dismissed on the very threshold of the historic triumph.

The perceptive Bradman always had immense faith in Morris. A brilliant strokeplayer all round the wicket, Morris made a century in each innings on his first-class debut against Queensland at Sydney in 1940-41 as an 18-year-old. But he fared poorly on first appearance in Tests against Australia in 1946-47, managing only 2 runs at Brisbane, and 5 at Sydney.

Bradman, though, persisted with him and the youngster repaid his skipper’s faith in abundant measure. Morris delighted the crowds in the next two Tests. He scored 155 at Melbourne, and then a hundred in each innings - 122 and 124 not out - at Adelaide. It was, after all, a glorious initiation in top grade cricket.

Eight of Morris’ 12 Test hundreds came against England, three in the 1948 series, when he topped Australia’s averages with 87, having hit 696 runs; Bradman averaged 72.57 for his 508 runs. Morris scored Test hundreds in South Africa and the West Indies, and also against India at home.

In his 46 Tests he aggregated 3533 runs at an average of 46.48, with a top score of 206. Bradman probably wanted a classy left-handed strokeplayer to open his All-time XI, which is why he included Morris. Had the great man lived longer, he might have been tempted to consider Matthew Hayden, who only began his ascent to the pinnacle on the Indian tour of 2001 just after The Don passed away.

After a close look at Morris’ career, one can see Bradman’s point, even though many might still not agree. It takes quite a lot to bypass the claims of the likes of Grace, Trumper, Hobbs, Hutton and Gavaskar, even if they were all right-handers.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

188 pages

The finest left-handed batsmen in cricket's annals

Clem Hill (Australia) ….. Tests span: 1896-1912, Matches 49, Highest Score 191, Runs 3,412, Average 39.21, 7 Hundreds, 19 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1892-1923, Matches 252, Highest Score 365*, Runs 17,213, Average 43.57, 45 Hundreds, 83 Fifties.

Frank Woolley (England) ….. Tests span: 1909-1934, Matches 64, Highest Score 154, Runs 3,283, Average 36.07, 5 Hundreds, 23 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1906-1938, Matches 978, Highest Score 305*, Runs 58,959, Average 40.77, 145 Hundreds, 295 Fifties.

Arthur Morris (Australia) ….. Tests span: 1946-1955, Matches 46, Highest Score 206, Runs 3,533, Average 46.48, 12 Hundreds, 12 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1940-1955, Matches 162, Highest Score 290, Runs 12,614, Average 53.67, 46 Hundreds, 46 Fifties.

Bert Sutcliffe (New Zealand) ….. Tests span: 1947-1965, Matches 42, Highest Score 230*, Runs 2,727, Average 40.10, 5 Hundreds, 15 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1941-1966, Matches 233, Highest Score 385, Runs 17,447, Average 47.41, 44 Hundreds, 83 Fifties.

Neil Harvey (Australia) ….. Tests span: 1948-1963, Matches 79, Highest Score 205, Runs 6,149, Average 48.41, 21 Hundreds, 24 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1946-1963, Matches 306, Highest Score 231*, Runs 21,699, Average 50.93, 67 Hundreds, 94 Fifties.

Gary Sobers (West Indies) ….. Tests span: 1954-1974, Matches 93, Highest Score 365*, Runs 8,032, Average 57.78, 26 Hundreds, 30 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1952-1974, Matches 383, Highest Score 365*, Runs 28,314, Average 54.87, 86 Hundreds, 121 Fifties.

Graeme Pollock (South Africa) ….. Tests span: 1963-1970, Matches 23, Highest Score 274, Runs 2,256, Average 60.97, 7 Hundreds, 11 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1960-1987, Matches 262, Highest Score 274, Runs 20,940, Average 54.67, 64 Hundreds, 99 Fifties.

Allan Border (Australia) ….. Tests span: 1978-1994, Matches 156, Highest Score 205, Runs 11,174, Average 50.56, 27 Hundreds, 63 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1976-1996, Matches 385, Highest Score 205, Runs 27,131, Average 51.38, 70 Hundreds, 142 Fifties.

Brian Lara (West Indies) ….. Tests span: 1990-2006, Matches 131, Highest Score 400*, Runs 11,953, Average 52.88, 34 Hundreds, 48 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1987-2008, Matches 261, Highest Score 501*, Runs 22,156, Average 51.88, 65 Hundreds, 88 Fifties.

Matthew Hayden (Australia) ….. Tests span: 1994-2009, Matches 103, Highest Score 380, Runs 8,625, Average 50.73, 30 Hundreds, 29 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 1991-2009, Matches 295, Highest Score 380, Runs 24,603, Average 52.57, 79 Hundreds, 100 Fifties.

Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) ….. Tests span: 2000-2015, Matches 134, Highest Score 319, Runs 12,400, Average 57.40, 38 Hundreds, 52 Fifties; ….. First-class span: 2000-2015, Matches 235, Highest Score 319, Runs 18,134, Average 50.51, Hundreds 53, Fifties 77.

The Cricket World Cup - Memorable Performances…..9 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

HAYDEN SETS NEW MARK 
FOR QUICKEST HUNDRED

Warner Park, Basseterre  •  24 March 2007

Conditions were perfect, with a flat batting track and short boundaries. Matthew Hayden was not one to miss out, and he launched a blitzkrieg right from the start. He bludgeoned the South African bowlers, racing to the fastest century in the World Cup off a mere 66 deliveries, one less than Canada’s John Davison in 2003. Hayden lofted Graeme Smith for a straight six in the 23rd over to claim the coveted record. Australia went on to post their highest World Cup total of 377 for six.

           

Adam Gilchrist was in an equally belligerent mood, and the duo motored along at 7 runs per over. They posted a century stand before Gilchrist was dismissed for a run-a-ball 42. The partnership was worth 106 in 14.5 overs. Ricky Ponting kept up the momentum as Hayden went on the rampage, putting on 61 off 51 deliveries.

Hayden straight-drove the first ball he received to the boundary off Shaun Pollock. He lost the strike for a while but made up for it as Pollock came on to bowl the fifth over. He square-cut the first ball fiercely to the boundary, then danced down the wicket to the third and smote it over mid-wicket for a six. The next delivery was pitched up on the off stump and Hayden slammed it high over long-on for another six. 

It took Hayden just 37 balls to bring up his fifty as he drove Andrew Hall to the long-off boundary. In Hall’s next over he glanced one to the fine-leg boundary and blasted the next over long-off for a six. Hayden then rocketed 3 fours in a Charl Langeveldt over. He was on 94 off 65 balls as Smith floated in his off-spinner. Hayden smashed it over the bowler’s head and beyond the ropes to take the record away from Davison. In the next over bowled by Jacques Kallis, Hayden cut one straight into the hands of Herschelle Gibbs. He had sent the crowd into raptures with his 101 off 68 deliveries, having hit 14 fours and 4 sixes. It was one of the most fierce displays power hitting that left the Proteas shell-shocked.

Ponting and Michael Clarke then posted a mammoth 161-run partnership in 130 balls, both scoring quickfire nineties. Ponting got a-run-a-ball 91 with 8 fours and 2 sixes, bringing up his 10,000 runs in One-day Internationals. Clarke was even more belligerent, hitting 92 off 75 deliveries, including 7 fours and 4 sixes, Smith and Abraham de Villiers raised a 160-run opening stand for South Africa in a matter of 21 overs. De Villiers hit up 92 in 70 deliveries with 14 fours and 2 sixes. Kallis too joined the party. But as the wickets began to fall, with chinaman bowler Brad Hogg inflicting the most damage, South Africa continued to hurtle downhill and were beaten by 83 runs.  

Despite the big hitting by the other batsmen, everything paled in comparison to Hayden’s awesome knock. Clive Lloyd’s record of the fastest World Cup hundred off 82 balls in the 1975 final stood for 28 years until it was shot down by a long way by the rampaging willow of Davison in 2003. In the 2007 tournament as many as three batsmen, Hayden, Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag scored quicker hundreds than the former West Indies skipper, and one, Brad Hodge, equalled him. This was clearly a sign of the times and an indication of how dramatically the game has changed in the last few years.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Distributed in India by Variety Book Depot, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Phones + 91 11 23417175, 23412567

Available in leading bookshops, and online on several websites.

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 30 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (35. Matthew Hayden)

('Don's Century' is a book on the cricket career and life of Don Bradman, paying tribute to him in 2008, the year of his birth centenary. It is also a panorama of batting from the 1860s onwards featuring 35 of the greatest batsmen and discussing whether Don Bradman was indeed the greatest of them all).

For long his colleague Matthew Hayden sizzled in the first-class game, but fizzled at the highest level. His successes for Queensland did not translate into performances of any note for Australia. His first stint was mediocre and he was dropped. The big man continued to persevere, scoring heavily in domestic cricket, finally making his breakthrough at the age of 29 in the 2000-01 series in India. It has been forgotten that in that big turnaround in the Kolkata Test, engineered by the Herculean partnership between V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid, Hayden was a star performer for Australia with scores of 97 and 67. Since then the southpaw did not look back. Each year from 2001 to 2005 he hit up 1000 Test runs. Forging highly successful left-handed opening partnerships, with Adam Gilchrist in the One-dayers and Justin Langer in Tests, Hayden played a key role in Australia’s golden run.

The big bully advanced menacingly down the pitch, almost intimidating the bowlers like a giant caveman brandishing a chunky club. He did actually club the ball with his booming drives, rasping cuts and thundering pulls. The most menacing hitter since Ian Botham, Hayden slammed pacemen and spinners alike. His one weakness was his tendency to play a shot too many in his quest to dominate the bowling, thereby often giving his wicket away.

In their heyday this century, the Australians came to be hailed for their quick scoring. This was mainly courtesy the rousing starts Hayden gave with his partners. In the Tests they would hammer the new ball around and Australia invariably clocked four runs an over. In the shorter version, Hayden and Gilchrist would knock up six to seven runs an over in the first fifteen overs with the field in. That was the foundation for the incredible success Australia achieved during his fruitful days at the top of the order.

Hayden’s moment of euphoria, of course, was when he broke Lara’s Test record, blasting 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth on October 10, 2003. The bowling may have been ordinary, but it was a terrific display of hitting. Hayden struck 38 fours and 11 sixes - 218 in boundaries alone - off just 437 balls in 10 hours and 22 minutes. He took 208 deliveries to reach his hundred, and then just 229 more for the rest of his 280 runs. The Perth wicket was not as fast and bouncy as of yore, and with the ball coming nicely on to the bat, Hayden made merry. India’s former captain S. Venkataraghavan, who was umpiring that match told The Times of India, “He’s just so uninhibited. Nothing seemed to bother him.”

Just over six months later on April 12, 2004 Lara snatched the record back. Hayden bludgeoned his way through to 8625 runs at an average of 50.73 with 30 hundreds in his 103 Tests. In the One-dayers Hayden slammed 6133 runs at an average of 43.80, and a strike-rate of 78.96. An essential part of Ponting’s all-conquering World Cup team, Hayden hit the then fastest century in the competition off 66 balls against South Africa at St. Kitts in 2007. He also had the highest aggregate in that tournament with 659 runs at an average of 73.22 with three hundreds in 11 matches. One of the hardest hitting opening batsmen in history, Hayden’s contribution to Australian cricket has been matched by few.

These have been some of the very best batsmen down history. Others like Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Virender Sehwag will surely find their way in history. It is remarkable how the name Bradman keeps cropping up while discussing most of them. This is indicative of the standards Bradman set, and against which most batsmen are rated. Some of the top-class batsmen of the modern era like, to name a few, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq, who rendered yeomen service to Pakistan in contrasting styles, but did not quite stir the senses consistently; and Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Mohammad Yousuf, technically sound and prolific scorers, but rarely dominant; have not been discussed at length in these pages. In terms of figures they have been close to the top, but inspirational they have seldom been. Indeed Kallis has an allround Test record that has now surpassed the multi-faceted Sobers, and at similar averages! But it would be hard to place Kallis in the same league as Sobers. The very great players have an aura quite distinct.

Statistically, nobody has been able to remotely challenge Bradman and, in a paradox to the Sobers-Kallis reasoning, it is difficult to anoint another batsman as being greater than The Don. Bradman was indeed unique, matchless - to put it in corporate parlance - in terms of output, quality, productivity and profitability, a winner and a leader by a long, long way.

(Statistics in Don’s Century are updated till 27th August 2011, the 103rd birth anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman).

Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com.

Follow Indra Vikram Singh on Twitter @IVRajpipla.

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books 

published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf   ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket   ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century   ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory   ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Available online on several websites.

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

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Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.