Jan 16 | Posted by Trix @ 12:00 AM Category: Uncategorized
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coral.uk – Matthew Hayden has announced his retirement after weeks of speculation the out of form opener would call it quits.
The hulking Queenslander failed to fire in all three tests, managing a poultry average of just 23, more than 27 runs below his all time test average of 50.7 – an average that remain forever.
In a stellar career spanning nearly fourteen years, Hayden walked of the Sydney Cricket Ground to a standing ovation, and although he had not yet made up his mind, it seemed a foregone conclusion that he would take no further part in Australian representative cricket.
Hayden made his debut as a twenty two year old against South Africa in 1994 and had a nightmare start, being caught behind in his first innings for fifteen and suffering a fractured thumb before being dismissed for five in his second.
It took another six years for Hayden to come of age as a test player, averaging a stunning 110 in his first test series back against India and scoring over 550 runs in just five innings.
He also briefly held the record for highest test score ever with 380 before Brian Lara recaptured just weeks later.
Australia will mourn the retirement of one of its longest standing cricket heroes, it seemed a given that Hayden would be there facing the first ball, but today it is no more.
The retirement comes as Australia heralds a new star, opening batsmen David Warner who put on a show that had to be seen to be believed, scoring an incredible 89 of just 34 balls.
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