Clayton Murzello: Wasn't Hayden a rookie in 1993?

Matthew Hayden addresses the media ahead of the TNPL in Chennai last JulyIt has been nine years since Matthew Hayden called it a day but the burly lefthander is still stepping out of his crease and causing damage The Poms are a rabble I look down half of the list and I honestly dont even know who half of these guys are Hayden reportedly said earlier this week about Joe Roots EnglishmenBen Stokes who is in England waiting for a possible clearance to land in Australia after his bar brawl incident justifiably expressed surprise at Hayden for not knowing more about the England squad since he is now a commentatorNathan Lyons comments about hoping this series would end a few English careers too were slammed with gusto Whats the need for that sort of personal vendetta Why be so meanspirited Is it too much to expect for a major cricket series to roll out without someone who has played the game at the highest level being rude to the opposition One can understand media playing to the gallery Or even a common cricket lover like the Heathrow airport immigration officer who on being handed outofform Mark Taylors passport exclaimed Oh Mark Taylor the Australian captainTaylor nodded and the officer said Ah but for how long as mentioned in Taylors autobiography Time to Declare That was some arrival for TaylorTalking of arrivals gone are the days when English and Australian touring teams were received warmly by former captains and alltime greats At the docks there were speeches made and friendships revived Even Sir Donald Bradman used to stand at tarmacs and welcome teams during his administrative years with the Australian Cricket BoardWe dont expect a Michael Clarke who was Australias captain during the last Ashes to wait at the arrival lounge for an English tour party to arrive We also dont expect a Ricky Ponting to be overly generous in his assessment of the English team but for Ponting to say that England pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad are on the steady decline Theyre not going to get better from here as cricketers borders on the audaciousCurious to know what wellknown cricketers wrote in the buildup to an England v Australia series I looked up the oldest Ashes tour brochure in my collection titled Cricketers from Australia mdash the official souvenir for the 1953 Ashes As captain of the Marylebone Cricket Club England were called MCC while on tour till 197677 that toured Australia in 195051 the late Freddie Brown was asked to write an introduction in this little green bookBrown wrote I hope that they Australia will have an enjoyable tour and be able to take back many happy memories of England That they will be a difficult side to beat is certain mdash what Australian XI isnt mdash but that they will play this great game in the best traditions and be a most attractive side to watch is also certain Browns introduction gave the gentlemans game a good name at a time when there was no formal Spirit of Cricket code to adhere toNowadays all that visiting teams get when they land in Australia is ridicule Haydens crossbatted stroke reminded me of the words MCC ndash men or mice used on the cover of an Australian Cricket magazine in 1974 England had a rough buildup to the opening Test at the Gabba that year and the magazines editor Phil Tresidder wrote The moment of truth has arrived for England the Ashes holders Are they men or mice Jack Fingleton the doyen of playerturnedwriters penned a balanced piece on the English tourists in the same issue He also had a message for those writers who were miserly in their praise for MCC captain Mike Denness I hope if Denness proves a success here and one wishes him well his detractors are big enough to write I was wrong and I apologise And Keith Stackpole who played his last season of Test cricket earlier in the year ended his preseries analysis with a prediction A close hardfought series then but Australia to get home by the narrowest of margins Australia won 41There are no favourites for this current Ashes series Shane Warne believes the Australian selectors are confused and probably rightly so considering they recalled Tim Paine after seven years without him even being the regular glovesman for Tasmania Warne believes Australias poor selection will facilitate an England win while Glenn McGrath has indicated that his team will win hands down As for Hayden he probably gave in to hyperbole by saying he does not know half the England squad He may have forgotten that he too made an Ashes tour party with no Test experience in England in 1993 when he was written about in glowing terms because of his first two runfilled seasons in Sheffield Shield cricket The socalled unknowns in the England squad would be itching to get Hayden to hear and see more of them in the coming months It remains to be seen if he will regret his wordsmiddays group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance He tweets ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycom