Matthew Hayden breaks another Australian record

[Rachael]

As I understand it, Gower got hold of the lightest bats available at the time... and then had some 700g shaved off them to make them lighter still. The result was a blade he could use with finesse, and with which he could check and adjust strokes as and when he realised he'd got the need. The down-side? The tinyest sweet-spot in the history of the game: if he middled the ball he could still penetrate the gaps... but anything even slightly mis-timed was going no-where.

Now young Hayden trots along with a bat that is not HUGELY heavier... but which is many, many times the size... with a hugely increased sweetspot. Barry Richards suggested the other day that the batsmen could play quite effectively with the edge of the bat: something he did with a regular bat in his day but which any muppet could do with Hayden's bat.

I often wonder how the likes of Hayden would fare with the sort of bats used by Gower and Richards. Sure, they would still hit some great shots... and Hayden's strength would still be telling when he timed the ball well - but he'd need to commit himself more in order to get the same carry and as the guy seems to accumulate a significant percentage of his runs through mis-timed shots and thick edges, I guess the average would suffer

[Quagmire]

Hayden is not the only batsman with a bat the quality of his, every batsman's bats are massive and light its not just Hayden. It seems like someone has a little bit of sour grapes. You dont think that every batsman would have the best quality bats that they can get. I have picked up Gilchrist Puma bat and it is massive and light.

[Oliver]

Hayden is a flat track bully in a World Cup with only three (is it?) genuine fast bowlers.

One of them is on his side, which cuts down his problems somewhat, and one didn't play against him in the match between the two sides. The third may get to play against him in the last group game. Perhaps I'm being harsh on Nel and Ntini... perhaps I'm not.

Now it's true that nobody else has done quite what he's done in this World Cup, but this is part of the joy of having quite a decent bowling attack too, in that it takes the pressure of the batsmen.

England's batting line-up is woeful, three defensive players at the top of the order, folded around the mighty Pietersen (who can't do it on his own - even though he'd obviously like to) England's bowling is atrocious.
Panesar, Flintoff and a whole bunch of guys who spray it around a lot, oh and Collingwood... actually in this tournament Flintoff has sprayed it around a lot too.

South Africa's batsmen struggled with the pressure against Australia partially because the excellent Pollock is now so slow that most players (England aside) practically run down the pitch to biff him into the stands.

Anyway all that's beside the point... Hayden doesn't play so well when the bowling is quick... at the moment it isn't.

He does look very good (and it pains me to say such a thing) but souring grapes aside, the bowling he's faced just hasn't been up to the job.

[Quagmire]

The bowling at the World Cup has not been the best a part from Australia who's bowlers have been dominating but Hayden has been brilliant during this World Cup and has been better than anyone with the bat. Saying that he can not face fast bowling is a joke because the W.A.C.A is probably the quickest bounciest track in the world and Hayden averages 56.38 in test cricket there and 46.75 in ODI's which are both higher than his normal averages. If a batsman like Hayden was weak against quick bowling then why would Australia, who are by a mile the best team in both forms of the game would have him opening the batting in both forms of the game.

[Younis Khan #1]

I don't understand how people can criticise Hayden when he has proved to be so prolific in both forms of the game. It doesn't matter how effective he is against any form of bowling, the fact is that his averages and statistics are comparable with any of the great players.

[Nostromo]

Originally Posted by Oliver

He does look very good (and it pains me to say such a thing) but souring grapes aside, the bowling he's faced just hasn't been up to the job.

It does sound like sour grapes of the worst kind. Hayden is a great batsman who can only face what is put in front of him. It is not his fault that some of the opposition bowling has been mediocre. Hayden is a lot better than someone like Andrew Strauss who struggles even to hold down his designated opener's slot.

[Younis Khan #1]

Originally Posted by Nostromo

It does sound like sour grapes of the worst kind. Hayden is a great batsman who can only face what is put in front of him. It is not his fault that some of the opposition bowling has been mediocre. Hayden is a lot better than someone like Andrew Strauss who struggles even to hold down his designated opener's slot.

100% agree.