A batsman's job is to score runs, I've always said that and one cannot argue with that. However, we seem to be talking as if Hayden is the only player to do this. When Greenidge and Gavaskar were the only openers in the 80s to approach/exceed a 50 average (when Gooch averaged 37, Wright 31, Haynes 40, Mudassar/Mohsin 39, Wessels 42, Foxy Fowler 30) one could make a much better argument for their prowess. However, since 2000, Gibbs has averged 49 opening, Smith 48, Langer 5000 runs @ 48, Vaughan 49 and even Sehwag who can't even get a place in the Indian side averaged 51 opening up. Hayden has shown that he has had the better of most international bowlers since 2000, but I repeat, he is NOT alone. Hayden had three fantastic years in which he scored 4000 test runs at 70, but since then he has really not performed any better than a number of opening batsmen that have played in this era and certainly not as well as some middle order players.

He probably would get the opening berth in a team of this decade but he really is nowhere near the class of great openers from previous generations. Personally there is a huge question mark about his ability to play on semi-bowling friendly surfaces outside Australia. He struggled badly on both his tours to England, struggled in New Zealand and apart from two hundreds in the West Indies (one of which was on a road in St Johns where the Windies chased down 400) he struggled to reach 20. He loves hard bouncy true pitches and murders everyone on these (like in Australia) but he is very limited (although effective) player.

Excellent point Maranello, are you more intrested in how they look when the ball goes past them Rachael ?
Unfortunately wether you hold the bat above your head and let the ball past, or take huge swoosh at it and miss; the amount of runs you get remains the same Zero

Try a "huge swoosh" at 200 balls pitched on or around off stump from a bowler who is trying to get the ball to move away... and then mix in 200 leaves where you hold the bat above your head... and 200 leaves where you linger on the back foot, with minimal backlift, and play just inside the line (with soft hands) to any ball that is definitely (rather than possibly) moving away... and see how many times you get out in each manner.

I agree that with holding the bat above your head... you will be spectacularly unlucky get out to any ball that missed the stumps (though you would be stuffed each time the ball failed to swing). The "huge swoosh" offers no such let-off: if you miss completely then fine... but that's the way to interest everyone from the keeper through the slips to gully and point... and quite possibly some of the guys infront of the square as well!

Rachael I agree with your basic stance in the sense that if we were talking about cricket in 60's, 70's and 80's their was a greater need for players to be carefull "going for a flurry of full blloded shots" (swoosh's)
Grounds were bigger, their was more variable bounce with uncovered pitches and it was before a revolution in bat technology.
But now grounds are roped in "smaller", pitches are covered, their have been advances in turf technology and grass breeds to make more batting friendly consistant pitches, the game has moved from amature to proffesional status hence players have time do more batting, bowling, feilding, strength, aerobic, speed + reaction programs, teams have nutritionalists working with players and advances in cricket bat technology now rewards shots hit outside the "sweet-spot" as well as with it including edges and nick's which in combination have turned a red blooded swoosh mis-hit into a shot nowadays more capable of scoring the maximum runs a single shot can 6.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

In fact opening batting is becoming so good in One Dayer's some later order batsmen like 6 & 7 are getting starved of batting opportunities on tour. Look at poor old Mike Hussey.