Selfish Hayden cost Australia '05 Ashes

[The Outsider]

Inspired by one of Bharat's post in another thread, I felt compelled to reveal the truth and my real feelings about that 130 off 300+ deliveries which was supposedly a vehicle to come back to form. So what, he came to form, the Ashes were gone because of Hayden's selfish batting never mind the fact that no one besides him or his opening partner put up a decent score. It's all selfish.

[Cricketics]

and u remember how he bloody once said "Subcontinental batsmanz are selfish"

[Mr. Wicket]

The hundred didn't come on the easiest of pitches, tbh. England did bowl well that test, and when Australia tried to really force the pace the following day, they did lose wickets giving Hayden's ton a bit more value. No, what pissed me off about Hayden that series was his batting in other games. It wasn't selfish, it was downright stupid. Reeking of arrogance, bullheadedness and a complete refusal to accept failings in his own game that were being exploited. Too many of his dismissals were self-created, unenforced mistakes coming from his own obsession with trying to bully around an England attack who stood up to him. That was the point I was screaming myself hoarse for a replacement. Hussey or Jaques IMO should have slotted in at the top of the order by the Trent Bridge test, but didn't - and Hayden's early ego-driven dismissals against big totals at Trent Bridge/Edgbaston vs. a new ball proved very costly too. Still, it is a tribute to the man that he's turned his game around like he has since that one series. In the time since he has generally been superb, clawing back to his old form and consistency in tests and getting back an ODI place while making me eat a few words. But I'm still bitter about his performances in that series Not as bitter as I am though at Bung and Ponting, who played just as much of a role in seeing Australia lose the 05 Ashes. Bung grit his teeth and took blows when batting, smiled and ran in hard and was a good sportsman. BUT WHERE THE F*CK WAS HE WHEN MCGRATH WENT DOWN, GILLESPIE SPRAYED IT, TAIT WAS ERRATIC ON DEBUT AND WE NEEDED A DECENT BOWLER TO STEP UP? Everywhere. Everywhere in the ground. Point boundary, cover boundary, square leg fence, fine leg, straight back down the ground, middle of the pitch one ball, full toss the next, wide half volley following. A pathetic economy rate and average, with a few impressive wickets in between (although many came during too little/too late situations). If you are picked as a test bowler, I don't give a flying f*ck whether your batting average is 7 or 21. If you go at 40+ with the ball, bleed runs so quickly that you reduce the effectiveness of a Tait or Warne down the other end and bowl that inconsistently, you're costing a side a game. And let's not forget Ponting. Like Hayden, he's redeemed himself significantly since the Ashes with his captaincy becoming far more decisive and taking on a bit more common sense - but his captaincy in the Ashes was GOD AWFUL. Cripes. That constant persistence with Katich in the middle order when it became clear to everyone and his dog by Old Trafford that Katich genuinely was struggling against the seamers, his technique had gotten too awry for him to make runs consistently, and that someone like Hussey was urgently needed. Then the disastrous mishandling of Shaun Tait at Trent Bridge. A potential lethal weapon on the first day blunted by pathetically defensive tactics - JUST ONE SLIP WITH THE BALL REVERSING ALL OVER THE PLACE? - poor field placings and a complete lack of understanding in the fact that Tait will spray it, will go for runs but will get wickets if used correctly. Oh, and MacGill. Yes, MacGill. The bench warmer in the Ashes. A man with a spectacular strike rate in tests, a man averaging 27-ish in tests and an average of less than 25 against England with a real wicket taking penchant. Ponting steadfastly refused to take a gamble and perhaps dent his star player's ego a bit, and MacGill sat out the entire series. I still maintain that the Oval test could have been won with two spinners, given the pitch. And heck, if more proof was needed, he showed up a few months later in the ICC XI/Aus test, took 9 wickets and nailed Flintoff twice cheaply. Bah.

[Mr. Wicket]

BTW, to add to my rant, I remain convinced that even if Hayden had smashed a quicker and more decisive hundred and Australia had taken perhaps a small lead (pushing it a bit to suggest much more, given that they trailed by 6)... Bung would probably have still managed to render the Australian attack completely impotent and giving England all the runs they needed, while adding far more to his already-sh*thouse figures of 43-7-182-1 for the game.

[guju24]

ausies dont play with sportsmanship...one guy use some squash ball to hold the bat...some guys use carbon(dont knw exact word)...they always have something but no one take objection....

[summerofcricket]

ausies dont play with sportsmanship...one guy use some squash ball to hold the bat...some guys use carbon(dont knw exact word)...they always have something but no one take objection....

try batting in the nets with a squash ball in your glove and then come back with your feelings on whether or not that should be illegal or not. i didn't like the carbon sleeve on the bats a few years ago but the truth is the bats these days are absolute weapons compared to even the ones used in the 1990s. i'll give you that Australia aren't the most friendly team on the circuit but the sad reality is in our cricketing setup you have to become a self centred individual focused only on winning if you want to get to state cricket let alone the Test level. Sad but very true.

[Online]

try batting in the nets with a squash ball in your glove and then come back with your feelings on whether or not that should be illegal or not. i didn't like the carbon sleeve on the bats a few years ago but the truth is the bats these days are absolute weapons compared to even the ones used in the 1990s. i'll give you that Australia aren't the most friendly team on the circuit but the sad reality is in our cricketing setup you have to become a self centred individual focused only on winning if you want to get to state cricket let alone the Test level. Sad but very true.

yeah, that squash ball must be very irritating...wonder how gilly finds it helpful!

[kablooee87]

yeah' date=' that squash ball must be very irritating...wonder how gilly finds it helpful![/quote'] That was the whole point. The fact that it was irritating means he would subconciously try to alleviate that while batting hence not put so much emphasis into his bottom hand which was causing him problems.

[bharat297]

hehe ... Glad to see I am making a difference and encouraging more and more people to hate Matthew Hayden. But yea I felt it cost Australia the Ashes almost as much as Warne's drop catch did

[Gambit]

bharat, another addition to the list. Adam Gilchrist between the start of Ashes 05 and the start Ashes 06 had the following numbers: 672 runs from 17 tests(26 innings)@26.88! (BD stats included) Take the knocks against BD out and the stats read: 516 runs from 16 tests(24 innings)@22! Even Australian selectors back proven players during their lean run!

[Holysmoke]

bharat, another addition to the list. Adam Gilchrist between the start of Ashes 05 and the start Ashes 06 had the following numbers: 672 runs from 17 tests(26 innings)@26.88! (BD stats included) Take the knocks against BD out and the stats read: 516 runs from 16 tests(24 innings)@22! Even Australian selectors back proven players during their lean run!

Who cares?:eyedance: Drop Tendulkar. :hysterical:

[Bumper]

bharat, another addition to the list. Adam Gilchrist between the start of Ashes 05 and the start Ashes 06 had the following numbers: 672 runs from 17 tests(26 innings)@26.88! (BD stats included) Take the knocks against BD out and the stats read: 516 runs from 16 tests(24 innings)@22! Even Australian selectors back proven players during their lean run!

That would be a correct conclusion if Gilly's primary role in the Aussie test lineup is one of a top order batsman. But he is a wicketkeeper first & batsman next, which is what saved him. Remember a certain Damien Martyn ? The guy had a phenomenal year prior to the Ashes'05. Is he not a proven performer ? He got booted after a couple of bad series. How about Jason Gillespie or Michael Kasprowicz ? Are they not proven performers ? Gilly was persisted for two reasons: 1) He was in the team as a wicket keeper 2) The team was winning all this while. ONLY in an Indian team, non-performers can ride on their stardom for years, even when the team is losing!

[Gambit]

Graeme Smith since 2005. Last 17 tests 1090@33

[Bumper]

Graeme Smith since 2005. Last 17 tests 1090@33

Captain! And btw did SA lose as much as we did in the last 2 years ? Try again:haha:

[Gambit]

Damien Martyn since start of 2005 Ashes. 11 tests 459 runs@25

[Gambit]

RSA since the start of GSmith's lean patch has won 7 tests and lost 9. 3 drawn. No minnows. India in the same period have won 6 lost 4. 9 drawn. Minnows excluded.

[Bumper]

Damien Martyn since start of 2005 Ashes. 11 tests 459 runs@25

Marto sucked in ONE full series vs Eng In his next big series (vs SA) averaged 56.25, with a 4th innings match winning TON in SA And then played a half series (2 tests) vs Eng. Prior to Ashes'05 the guy was literally Australia's MVP in the preceding year. If he were an Indian, he'll still be playing

[Bumper]

RSA since the start of GSmith's lean patch has won 7 tests and lost 9. 3 drawn. No minnows. India in the same period have won 6 lost 4. 9 drawn. Minnows excluded.

Then he must be sacked. The only reason he aint sacked is bcoz he is a captain.

[Gambit]

BTW bumper, let's hear your excuse for Hayden as well. Between start of BG trophy 2004 and end of 4th test Ashes '05: 16 tests 842 runs@30

[Bumper]

BTW bumper, let's hear your excuse for Hayden as well. Between start of BG trophy 2004 and end of 4th test Ashes '05: 16 tests 842 runs@30

I dont know why he wasnt sacked. May be because Aussies were winning in this time :haha: His sacking from the ODIs did help, innit ? He came back hungrier & top scored in the world cup.