Will Matthew Hayden be regarded as a pariah of Australian cricket

[Ghostwriter]

Turns out he was pretty selfish going past the Don's famed 334 and creating a somewhat soft record of 380, kudos to Taylor and Clarke for keeping the don's record in tact.

 

[TheVelourFog]

I'm sure if he was alive he really wouldn't care if another Australian broke his record score. And even if he did care then he should have made an unattainable score so that no one could break it.

Records are made to be broken. So there's no way Hayden should be a pariah.

 

[lincsPJ]

kudos to ...Clarke for keeping the don's record in tact.

well.. thats an interesting statement, considering hayden nulled that score as a "record" as such... but he couldve been declared on by his skipper.

but yeh, hopefully clarke ends up being as good a captain as tubs... both declaring admirably for the sake of the team.

 

[The_Reaper]

Both Taylor and Clarke had the option of declaring whilst Hayden didn't.

Also despite what Taylor said, he only declared before the start of the next days play. If he had scored an extra single before he would have had no problems with holding the records.

 

[frankrizzo]

Artificially protecting a record because the guy who set it was a legend is silly and ironically might even help devalue the record.

Taylor wanting to stay on 334 is a bullshit myth anyway he hit the cover of the last few balls of the day and the hapless ijaz ahmed managed to stop both.

 

[Minotaur]

I don't think the problem with hayden's score was that he went past bradman but whom he scored the runs against.

 

[frankrizzo]

True and lets face it we all mentally put an asterisk next to his record...that's one thing it's another to suggest he committed a sin against bradman and australian cricket by going past 334.

 

[thecatattack]

Didn't Bradman say he didn't care of he broke records he just wanted to make runs.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Yeah nah. Had the opportunity to break the record, and took it, quite rightly. I reckon that Bradman would have done the same.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Anyone who saw Hayden bat would know he was a selfish cricketer who didn't value his wicket highly enough. Kudos to him as it came off more often than not, but he played for himself ahead of his country.

The touching of the flag as he came onto the ground was just a ruse, and while I don't have footage of him running onto the ground before his record breaking innings, I bet he touched the flag then before going on to disgrace the Don by beating up a group of players who were barely test quality. Great knock, shame it's no better than making a triple ton in a first class game against state battlers.

Clarke, like Taylor, made his runs against quality opposition. These are the records we admire, the records that remind us why we love Australian cricket, not some bully who now holds the Australian record undeservedly.

 

[thecatattack]

Disgrace the Don? Bitch shut the **** up.

 

[Tairy Greene]

Please tell me that is the subtlest of trolls???

 

[Minotaur]

True and lets face it we all mentally put an asterisk next to his record...that's one thing it's another to suggest he committed a sin against bradman and australian cricket by going past 334.

I sometimes wonder whether Hayden puts an asterix besides it too. If I were an Australian player, I would not want my highest score to be against the zimbos or bangers. The thing with hayden's score too is that Australia got way more runs than needed. It looked like a subcontinental team playing for personal glory rather than to win the game. That is not hayden's fault as he was not captain and he was not playin it safe by any means - I think there were ten sixes in his innings.

 

[HurleyTheFuture]

I honestly couldn't care less whether he went past it or not

 

[legend166]

There's no shame in being a pariah.

 

[grizzlym]

Please tell me that is the subtlest of trolls???

It's about as subtle as leprosy.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Turns out he was pretty selfish going past the Don's famed 334 and creating a somewhat soft record of 380, kudos to Taylor and Clarke for keeping the don's record in tact.

While others may have been unselfish it certainly doesn't make you selfish going past the record. Not sure why you'd say that. You have no obligation. If I was a batsman I wouldn't want to limited by the score I'm allowed to make even if it is 334. The records are there to be broken. You go out to bat to make as many runs as you can, that's your job first and foremost. If you break a record on the way, so be it. In reality records are nice but meaningless in the context of the result of the game.

Besides, unless you expected Hayden to retire on 334 he choices weren't great given he wasn't the skipper.

Lara, as captain may have been a bit selfish scoring 400no the declaring. He batted on and on and in the end ran out of time to bowl the opposition out. Think we need to be clear on what selfish really means here.

 

[Jade]

Records are made to be broken.

I think it's unfair that the captain is made to feel like he should play 'team first' cricket on the edge of such records. Had it been Warner or Marsh, I have no doubt they would have been allowed to play until they made 401*.

I would have liked to see Clarke smash on and get 'em. The Indians were completely broken (and the attitude as such is a shame on the country).

Unfortunately, we as a cricket supporting nation suck, and would have labelled him selfish for doing so.

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

So no-ones allowed to go past Bradmans score now?

I dont have an issue with Hayden, because we won the test. He got to 380 then went the slog to try and get 400 and got out. He could have made 500 and we would have won that test.

If you want selfish, the Brian Lara page is the one your after, although not sure he was at fault or the captain was (if he wasnt captain). The West Indies drew the test he got the record in.

 

[Donakebab]

So no-ones allowed to go past Bradmans score now?

I dont have an issue with Hayden, because we won the test. He got to 380 then went the slog to try and get 400 and got out. He could have made 500 and we would have won that test.

If you want selfish, the Brian Lara page is the one your after, although not sure he was at fault or the captain was (if he wasnt captain). The West Indies drew the test he got the record in.

Lara was captain in 2004 when he made the 400. Selfish. Bet he touched the Australian flag as he ran out just to disgrace the Don too...

 

[Underarm]

Records are made to be broken.

I think it's unfair that the captain is made to feel like he should play 'team first' cricket on the edge of such records. Had it been Warner or Marsh, I have no doubt they would have been allowed to play until they made 401*.

I would have liked to see Clarke smash on and get 'em. The Indians were completely broken (and the attitude as such is a shame on the country).

Unfortunately, we as a cricket supporting nation suck, and would have labelled him selfish for doing so.

If we lose this test, or draw this test and clarke batted for another 2 hours the heat will be on him as to why we batted for so long.

As Captain its his choice to end his innings. it would be tough for a competent captain (let alone pissweakPonting) to call time on Hayden's Innings at 330 (let alone for some trivial reason as to preserve the don's score). I mean, the players have to be friends off the field otherwise it can cause friction(see katich/clarke fiasco), so how would any batsmen (let alone Hayden) react to their chance to make history ripped away from them from one of their friends? People say records mean nothing, but thats rubbish to stop people to keep their own ego's in check.

No one has been denied the opportunity to get the record whilst in the 300's. the only people who have been declared on for less than the record at the time are Mark Taylor and now Michael Clarke.

 

[The_Reaper]

If we lose this test, or draw this test and clarke batted for another 2 hours the heat will be on him as to why we batted for so long.

As Captain its his choice to end his innings. it would be tough for a competent captain (let alone pissweakPonting) to call time on Hayden's Innings at 330 (let alone for some trivial reason as to preserve the don's score). .

Waugh was captain.

It's hard for a captain to declare early without a tactical reason to do so.
Clarke today waited for Hussey to score 150

 

[dr nick]

I was a bit annoyed Clarke declared, obviously long enough to let Hussey get his 150 but not long enough for himself to get 5 more runs.

On the surface the declaration may appear unselfish.. but i reckon he had the "public perception" on his mind when he did.

Obviously Australia have enough runs as it is... but Ed Cowan raised the point about leaving their bowlers out there for as long as possible could have flow on effects for their potency in Perth and Adelaide.

 

[The_Reaper]

I was a bit annoyed Clarke declared letting Hussey get to 150 but himself finishing 5 runs shy of 334.

On the surface the declaration may appear unselfish.. but i reckon he had the "public perception" on his mind when he did.

To be fair to Clarke I don't blame him.

 

[dr nick]

nor do I - but there was self interest motivating it imo.

FWIW i wanted to see him have a crack at 72 more runs before tea. I was thinking yesterday the only chance of him going for the record is if someone else was captain.