The Hayden XI

MtB has finally got around to a book about cricket.

He says, "I saw many legends from close range. I decided to put them together in my All-Star XI - the best players I confronted throughout my international career."

Virender Sehwag
Graeme Smith
Brian Lara
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Jacques Kallis
Kumar Sangakkara
MuMu ( ****** I had trouble typing that)
Harbhajan Singh
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose

funny he chopped several of the bowlers that tortured him early on in his career...alan donald for one

horace wrote:funny he chopped several of the bowlers that tortured him early on in his career...alan donald for one

He rates Curtly as head and shoulders above any of the rest of that ilk.

Of Wasim he says "He bowled me a ball at the Gabba ........... which just missed the outside edge and .............. was taken by second slip."
You can imagine that leaving an impression.

Edit: Throughtout the book he talks of watching the ball being his key. "Wasim's arm action was amazingly quick, it enhanced his menace. Other express bowlers like Brett Lee had such flowing, rhythmical actions you were able to see the ball all the way throgh his their action and it was presented to you at precisely the moment you expected."

A bit strange that he hasn't included any of England's 2005 Ashes team. Flintoff and Jones gave him a right working-over.

Mick ...his first century was the worst first century I have ever seen...easily topped gary cosier's v the windies at the g for ineptitude and dumb luck

horace wrote:Mick ...his first century was the worst first century I have ever seen...easily topped gary cosier's v the windies at the g for ineptitude and dumb luck

He acknowledges that.

You could add Boonie's last 100 to that list.

Or any century that Justin Langer ever made.

nah...mtb's 1st ton stands above all others

Henry wrote:A bit strange that he hasn't included any of England's 2005 Ashes team. Flintoff and Jones gave him a right working-over.

aye, they did. Flintoff wrote the Foreword. You get the impression they are strong friends. Of interest to me was that his very long time team mate Andrew Bichel doesn't rate a single mention.

mtb looked ever inch a park cricketer throughout that knock

horace wrote:Mick ...his first century was the worst first century I have ever seen...easily topped gary cosier's v the windies at the g for ineptitude and dumb luck

He talks long and openly about his anxieties and self doubt in those early days.

little choice really...he of course did redeem himself with a magnificent career

horace wrote:nah...mtb's 1st ton stands above all others

He says: "After scoring a Test century, I still doubted myself and had plenty of doubters, but that doubt became a close friend and a precious spur to my own motivation.
Though many people questioned the worth of my century, there were a few kind words written also.................

'In a match which raised so many questions about charater and courage, it was fitting that hayden was the Australian standard-bearer'........

'You could say he was lucky, but so what? In his previous two widely separated Test opportunities, he had none of that precious commodity and as all cricketers know, this is one game where luck will eventually even itself out - especially if you throw a few counter punches yourself' .........

What does he say about SRW?

horace wrote:funny he chopped several of the bowlers that tortured him early on in his career...alan donald for one

MTB did return the favour in 2002/3.

And fair play to MTB - hard to argue with anyone in the team other than maybe Harby (v Kumble for instance or maybe another quick like Donald) and maybe VVS for Dravid.

JGK wrote:What does he say about SRW?

Edit: "The greatest praise that I can give to Stephen is to acknowledge that, without him, I wouldn't have succeeded at Test level. It is really that simple."

Henry wrote:A bit strange that he hasn't included any of England's 2005 Ashes team. Flintoff and Jones gave him a right working-over.

Stuff him, we've got the Ashes.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

JGK wrote:What does he say about SRW?

That he wouldn't have had the career become the vicious, foul-mouthed sledger he did without him.

Fixed.

Basil wrote:

Henry wrote:A bit strange that he hasn't included any of England's 2005 Ashes team. Flintoff and Jones gave him a right working-over.

Stuff him.

That would be trev's fantasy

i thought it was the other way around...has Henry been taking injections?

G.Wood wrote:

Basil wrote:

Henry wrote:A bit strange that he hasn't included any of England's 2005 Ashes team. Flintoff and Jones gave him a right working-over.

Stuff him.

That would be trev's fantasy

I'm going to have nightmares now

JGK wrote:And fair play to MTB - hard to argue with anyone in the team other than maybe Harby (v Kumble for instance or maybe another quick like Donald) and maybe VVS for Dravid.

Of Harby;

"I've gone for the man (the second spinner spot over Kumble, Vettori and Saqlain) who gave me the most trouble at the crease......... The doosra was a priceless weapon - it made hios other balls so much kmore dangerous as well, as batsmen asked themselves whether to play or not."

He doesn't offer anything too subjective about Laxman.

Henry wrote:

Mick Sawyer wrote:

JGK wrote:What does he say about SRW?

That he wouldn't have had the career become the vicious, foul-mouthed sledger he did without him.

Fixed.

He seems to have become good mates with Flintoff & Vaughan. Maybe it's you who have the problem Trev.

I thought it was Craig Mathews and a young Shaun Pollock that did more damage to Hayden than Donald ever did in those early days?